Peer violence and school safety concerns rise across Bosnia, Turkey, and Serbia

Recent incidents of school-related violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, and Serbia have highlighted a growing trend of peer aggression and safety concerns in educational institutions.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Prijedor Social Work Center reported a rise in perpetrators of peer violence, increasing from 12 to 29 individuals. Experts note that verbal and physical violence are common, often exacerbated by exposure to violent content on social media and digital exclusion in messaging groups. School psychologists emphasize that while schools manage behavior during class, parents must monitor online communication.

In Turkey, a 15-year-old student opened fire near a vocational school in Manisa, wounding at least 11 people. The suspect, who was apprehended, was reportedly a victim of peer violence himself. Meanwhile, in Novi Sad, Serbia, an 11-year-old student brought a knife to Jožef Atila Elementary School, though school administration and police prevented serious injury.

Psychologists suggest these events are no longer isolated incidents but part of a broader social phenomenon. Experts point to a lack of empathy in modern society and the influence of family environments as contributing factors to the rising frequency of such crises.