The word “bullying” entered our lexicon very recently, but this does not mean that the phenomenon itself is something new and unknown to us.
Definition.
In modern Ukrainian legislation, “bullying or harassment” is the actions (actions or inaction) of the participants of the educational process, which consist of psychological, physical, economic, sexual violence, including with the use of electronic means of communication, committed against a minor or a minor and (or) by such a person in relation to other participants of the educational process, as a result of which damage to the victim’s mental or physical health could be or has been caused.
Legal notice.
According to Art. 173-4 (Bullying (harassment) of a participant in the educational process) of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, liability for bullying is provided for in the form of a fine of fifty to one hundred non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens or community service for a period of twenty to forty hours.
If the harassment is committed by a group of persons or repeatedly within a year after the imposition of an administrative fine, it entails the imposition of a fine of one hundred to two hundred tax-free minimum incomes of citizens or community service for a period of forty to sixty hours.
If bullying is committed by minors or minors between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, it entails the imposition of a fine on parents or persons who replace them, from fifty to two hundred tax-free minimum incomes of citizens or community service for a period of twenty to sixty.
If the head of the educational institution did not inform the authorized divisions of the National Police of Ukraine about cases of bullying (harassment) of a participant in the educational process, he may be fined from fifty to one hundred non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens or assigned corrective work for a period of up to one month, with deductions up to twenty percent of earnings.
Signs of bullying:
– systematicity (repeatability) of action;
– presence of parties – offender (bully), victim (bullying victim), observers;
– consequences in the form of mental and/or physical harm, humiliation, fear, anxiety, subordination of the victim to the interests of the offender, and/or causing social isolation of the victim.
Types of bullying:
– physical (pushing, kicking, hitting, fighting, kicking, slapping, causing bodily harm);
– psychological (humiliating looks, gestures, offensive body movements, facial expressions, spreading offensive rumors, isolation, ignoring, threats, jokes, manipulation, blackmail);
– economic (theft, damage or destruction of clothes and other personal belongings, extortion of money);
– sexual (humiliating looks, gestures, offensive body movements, nicknames and images of a sexual nature, filming in changing rooms, spreading offensive rumors, sexual threats, jokes);
– cyberbullying (humiliation using mobile phones, other electronic devices, on the Internet).
What to do if your child is a victim of bullying:
– talk to the child, let him understand that you are ready to listen to him and help him;
– offer options for solving the situation;
– explain to the child who he can turn to for help in case of bullying (psychologist, teachers, school management, security, police);
– inform the management of the educational institution about the situation and demand its proper settlement.
If it is not possible to resolve the situation with bullying at these levels, file a complaint with the territorial police units or call the hotline 102.
Communications Department of the Lviv Oblast Police