Peer violence is present among children, and with good education and prevention, and joint action of the entire system, this negative phenomenon can be put to an end, it was said at the conference on the occasion of International Children's Day.
The Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro Šućko Baković said at the "Say NO to Violence" conference that violence against children cannot be justified.
"Violence against a child in any form shows the child that violence is acceptable and thereby perpetuates the cycle of violence. Child victims need to be given an effective opportunity to talk about their experiences and include them as much as possible in the formation of a reaction to the violence they experienced, not only because of their best interest, but because it can contribute to the understanding of the consequences of violence against children," said Baković.
As he said, violence against children in Montenegro does not differ significantly compared to neighboring countries.
"School, as a place where children spend most of their time together during the day, should take the primary role in preventing and protecting children from violence. The best results can be achieved if an atmosphere of respect, understanding and tolerance is nurtured in the school," said Baković. at the conference held on the occasion of November 20, the day of adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
According to him, the Protector noticed the increasingly current problem of peer violence through complaints and through activities that included direct work with elementary school students.
"The presence of peer violence and the increasing number of student complaints about violence that occurs at school and in the local environment leads to the conclusion that the occurrence of violence among or against children is on the rise, or perhaps children are more free to talk about it and report violence," Baković assessed.
He emphasized that this problem requires an adequate and united reaction of educators and professional associates of the school, on the one hand, and parents on the other, as well as the involvement of guardianship authorities, health institutions and judicial authorities, in order to prevent peer violence as successfully as possible.
"Based on the handling of complaints, it can be concluded that violent behavior among peers is present in both primary and secondary schools and is characterized by elements of both physical and psychological violence, and manifests itself in different ways," Baković said.
He believes that it is necessary to establish a team for the protection of children from violence in every school, in order to respond to the problem in an adequate and constructive way.
"I call on all competent institutions and authorities to take measures and actions aimed at overcoming the problem and creating a safe and secure environment for children, both in schools and in the local community," concluded Baković.
Jana Rakočević, the golden advisor of the Ombudsman from the "Risto Manojlović" elementary school in Kolašin, believes that peer violence is present among children and that it is a big problem in Montenegro and the world.
"There are many forms of violence, and none of them should be reacted to with silence. Peer violence is very common among children," said Rakočević.
As is the case, usually the victims of violence are children who are withdrawn, shy, sensitive, who are afraid to report the bully, while the bullies are children who demonstrate force in order to feel more powerful, often thinking that they have gained popularity.
"In order to suppress or minimize peer violence, as a negative phenomenon among children, it is necessary for parents and guardians to talk more with their children about this problem and for them to be the first to notice changes in their children's behavior." , Rakočević said.
Miljan Lončar, the Golden Counselor of the Ombudsman from the Vocational High School in Pljevlja, said that violence can happen anytime and anywhere - in the school desk, park or playground, but even while sitting at the computer in their rooms.
He advised all children to report violence only to people they trust.
Lončar said that violence against or among children is a hot topic in society, which should be talked about more often and louder, saying that children need the help and support of adults.
Ivona Krivokapić, the youngest golden advisor, said that her generation also knows how to recognize violence.
"I think that children should have people they trust in their environment - a class teacher, a teacher, a pedagogue, a psychologist or anyone they can turn to for help," said Krivokapić.
Based on the survey she conducted with her friends, she also noticed that sometimes teachers call children derogatory names, which the children rarely report, but perceive as a form of psychological violence.
Deputy Protector for Children's Rights Snežana Mijušković said that the beginning of solving the problem is the awareness that the problem exists.
She reminded that the children's presentation emphasized the need to connect different structures of society and the constant education of experts who help children, stating that the role of parents and families and their cooperation with institutions is of inestimable importance.
"The role of parents and families and their cooperation with institutions is of crucial importance," concluded Mijušković.
Bonus video:
