Alarm grows over violence among young people in Macedonia, psychologists call for a more active role from parents

Repeated incidents in recent days have increased concern over young people’s behavior and the spread of a climate in which violence is increasingly being seen as normal. Psychologists stress that sudden changes in a child’s behavior may be a sign that they are experiencing violence or facing problems within the family.

According to specialists, these warning signs should not be ignored, while coordination between school and family remains essential to preventing violence among peers. Psychologist Safet Ballazhi says that one of the most serious problems is the lack of responsibility among some parents, who, according to him, often choose to defend their children even when they display violent behavior, instead of cooperating with the school to resolve the situation.

“Even in schools themselves, when we speak with teachers, they say there is no punishment of any kind. Sometimes when teachers identify a student as problematic and talk to the parents, the parents not only do not punish the child, but they even encourage them and attack the teachers, asking who they are to do this or that. We live in the time of the syndrome, ‘Do you know who I am?’ Now, if a child sees from the side that their parents or other adults function in that way, they simply adopt it and behave in the same way: I am strong, I can do whatever I want, I have this or that father. Naturally, then we are not guided by real values, but by the law of the strongest,” said Safet Ballazhi, psychologist.

On the other hand, the Chamber of Psychologists underlines that teachers and professional associates must notice changes in students in time, because these may signal that a child needs support.

“A child with good academic performance until a few months ago, last year, or when they finished the first semester, who suddenly begins to see a decline in performance, comes in sleepy, improperly dressed and tired, these are the main signs showing that something is happening to them,” emphasized Emilija Boshkovska from the Chamber of Psychologists.

Education Minister Vesna Janevska also reiterated that without the involvement of the family there can be no effective response to violence among peers. She added that many of the cases are linked to neglect of children and a lack of upbringing in the family. According to Janevska, institutions will continue meetings and awareness-raising activities with parents and schools, while at the same time stricter measures will be implemented to address this phenomenon. Also remaining in parliamentary procedure are legal amendments that provide for financial fines for the parents and guardians of children who are found to have committed peer violence at school./Alsat.mk.