The programme Prevention of Peer Violence is organized through a series of activities. Particular attention was paid to this topic in the classes of Civil Education and Religious Education, in 7^th grade in cooperation with the school psychologist. The problem was tackled through discussions, workshops and educational films. By getting insights into their own experiences, the pupils had the opportunity to recognize the situations of violence that they had gone through, as well as to find personal way of and responsibility in standing up to this kind of behaviour.

The word violence refers to those situations in which individuals who are violent (bullies) impose some form of violence  and force or power on those who are not able to defend themselves (victims) in order to systematically endanger the personality, health (physical and mental) and dignity of the other person. These situations include not only physical violence but also verbal abuse as well as pressure of peers to be a part of a larger group.

When we talk about peer violence we do not mean harsh or practical jokes, but situations which are regularly repeated and have become a routine, a model of behaviour and one of the most common ways of brutally enforcing some form of power on those who are weaker (not necessarily physically, but, more often, mentally weaker). The focus was also on the group of pupils who usually stand aside or are between the two roles, the so-called spectators who often, by not interfering due to fear or amusement, make the situation even worse and take on the role of an accomplice without sharing any personal responsibility with those who use violence.

Special attention was paid to electronic violence (all types of misuse of electronic communication like mobile phones, computers, ipads) which aims at humiliating, offending and degrading others and also to a type of violence pupils often don't recognize as such – social violence, where a group of pupils pressures and isolates one of its members.

In the forthcoming period pupils will have an opportunity to hear the stories of police members concerning delinquency and retribution.

• Log in or register to post comments