Childhood bullying: forms, signs and how to help victims
Fact: One in five pupils in Cyprus is a victim of school bullying, according to a study conducted by the Paedagogical Institute in collaboration with the University of Cyprus.
bullying
Primary school sexual violence case reported to parliament
A 10-year-old student was the tragic protagonist of an extreme case of sexual violence in a primary school reported to the Education Committee of the Parliament. The incident was discussed during a session on misconduct in schools attended by the Ministers of Justice and Education. It was highlighted that primary school students often strip or intimidate their classmates, with drugs circulating in school yards. The responsibility to address these issues lies with the Police, especially when educators fail to report incidents. The Justice Minister mentioned a transitional solution for detaining juvenile offenders until 2026 and emphasized the implementation of the law of 2021, which includes sending young individuals to therapeutic programs. The Education Minister noted the difference between violence/bullying and sexual abuse in schools, urging educators and children to break their silence on the latter. The Police reported a decrease in registered cases involving individuals under 18 from 496 in 2021 to 393 in 2023.
Meta oversight board reviews handling of AI-created celebrity porn
Meta Platforms’ Oversight Board is reviewing the company’s handling of sexually explicit AI-generated images of female celebrities on Facebook and Instagram. The board aims to evaluate Meta’s policies and enforcement practices around pornographic fakes created using artificial intelligence. The images were not named to prevent further harm, as advances in AI technology have made fake content indistinguishable from real content, leading to an increase in sexual fakes online. Elon Musk’s social media platform also faced challenges with controlling the spread of fake explicit images of Taylor Swift. Industry executives are calling for legislation to criminalize harmful “deep fakes.” One case involved an AI-generated image of a nude woman resembling a public figure from India on Instagram, while the other featured an AI-generated depiction of a nude woman resembling an American public figure on Facebook. Meta initially left up the image of the Indian woman but reversed course after the board selected it for review. Meta has pledged to implement the board’s decisions.
India’s LGBTQ+ election vows ring hollow for rights activists
India’s two main political parties are making promises to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the upcoming general election. However, activists feel that both parties are avoiding the key issue of same-sex marriage. The ruling BJP opposes same-sex marriage and has pledged more support for transgender rights, while the opposition Congress party plans to recognize same-sex civil unions. LGBTQ+ activists are disappointed with these promises, calling them “lip service.” Discrimination and abuse against LGBTQ+ individuals, especially trans people, are still prevalent in India. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has the most LGBTQ-friendly manifesto, but all parties fall short of proposing marriage equality. LGBTQ+ activists emphasize the need for greater inclusion and protection for marginalized communities in India.
Our View: The education system has thoroughly failed abuse victims
A gymnasium student who was sexually abused by fellow students was still expected to go to the same school as his abusers, a month and a half after the incident.
Sexual abuse victim , ‘still at same school as abuser’
A high school pupil who was sexually abused by his classmates is still at the same school.
Parliament hears of shocking violence and abuse in schools
Extreme cases of violence and misconduct involving students and teachers, including sexual abuse, drug use, and assaults, were discussed in a closed-door session of the House Education Committee. A deadline was set for the Ministry of Education to present a plan for creating a unit to support children with extreme behavior. The Minister of Education announced the preparation of a proposal for an alternative attendance program for such cases. Additionally, a new electronic student file system will be introduced to provide immediate access to information about each child for relevant services. The Minister highlighted the importance of prevention and timely intervention in addressing violence and delinquency in schools.
Children to be able to report bullies online
The government is considering creating an online platform for children and parents to report bullies.
Finnish police say bullying was motive for school shooting
A 12-year-old boy in Finland shot and killed a fellow sixth-grader and injured two others at a school near Helsinki. The boy explained that he was a target of bullying, which was the motive for his attack. He brought a relative’s revolver to the school and threatened other students. Flags flew at half-mast as the country mourned the victim’s death. Finland has seen a rise in bullying in schools, with 8.6% of pupils around 12 years old reporting being targeted at least once a week. The revolver used in the attack belonged to a relative of the suspect, and police are investigating how the boy obtained the weapon.