Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović said on Tuesday that from September last year to the end of April 2025, the police reported 1.105 criminal offenses in which minors were victims or perpetrators of peer violence, which is an average of almost five cases per day.
"From September last year to the end of April this year, the police reported 1.105 criminal acts in which minors were victims or perpetrators of peer violence. This amounts to an average of almost five cases of juvenile peer violence per day," Božinović warned at the expert conference "From click to hit - the disappearing border" at the Police Academy "First Croatian Police Officer". The largest number of them occurs in and around schools, most often elementary schools.
At the conference, experts from the fields of psychology, education, law and the police system warned that the border between the virtual and real worlds is increasingly disappearing in society, and online violence is increasingly turning into real threats and physical violence. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen interdepartmental cooperation and strengthen joint actions in order to create a safer environment in the digital and real space.
'Increasingly brutal methods of online violence'
Božinović also warned about the very worrying trend of online violence, where many parents are unaware of everything that is happening to their children because they either don't have the time, or often lack the knowledge or skills.
"Children without supervision and support in such situations are increasingly becoming prey to predators on the internet, and not just on the internet. Sometimes they are the perpetrators of violence themselves, especially those who are continuously exposed to harmful content. This must be recognized," he said. He also believes that all efforts will not be enough unless the entire society gets involved in solving the problem.
He warned that experts have been warning about new forms and increasingly brutal methods of online violence for many years, with the fact that children involved in all of this are getting younger and younger, both as victims and perpetrators, being particularly worrying.
"The anonymity of the internet is a particular problem because it makes abuse easier. This is coupled with a lack of empathy, sometimes prolonged exposure to violence before it is discovered. And then the damage to us becomes greater and deeper," he warned.
Božinović also stressed the importance of early identification of children with violent behavior patterns, as it is necessary to work with them preventively and professionally before violence escalates. He also pointed out that the police are involved in preventive activities and that last year they conducted more than 1500 preventive and educational activities, which included more than 97.000 children and young people.
Pirnat Dragičević: Parents talk to their children on average for only seven minutes a day
The Ombudsman for Children, Helenca Pirnat Dragičević, also warned that violence is increasingly present among children of younger chronological age, with the forms of violence becoming increasingly brutal. There is also an increasing number of the youngest children who do not react to violence and who are observers of violence.
"They have a lack of empathy, which should be of particular concern to us," she warned. She also emphasized that violence in children does not occur 'overnight', and therefore it is important to recognize "the screams and cries of a child" by which they warn adults that they are suffering and seeking help.
Pirnat Dragičević also emphasized the importance of preventive programs to prevent violence. She believes that the preventive programs implemented by the police are commendable, but they need to be structured and evaluated, and such that they will lead to positive results, and that they should include all children.
In addition, adults should not only provide support to children but also teach them from an early age that violence is not good and should be reported.
He considers the fact that seven minutes a day is the average amount of time parents spend talking to their children, and most often they talk about school success. She appealed to adults to increase the time spent talking with children, to talk with them and about other things in order to create a relationship of trust.
Photo: HINA/Tomislav Pavlek
