School violence and bullying

🔎Signs to watch for

• Not wanting to go to school or after-school classes for no clear reason, or stomachaches and headaches every morning.
• Torn clothes, belongings or money that often go missing, or injuries that are hard to explain.
• Often asking for extra pocket money, or money going missing at home.
• Jumping at phone notifications, looking down after reading messages, or suddenly quitting social media.
• Not talking about friends, or saying they spend breaks and lunch alone.
• Trouble sleeping or nightmares, and sudden changes in appetite or grades.
• Changing the route to school or asking to be driven.

💬Talking with your child

Children who are bullied often don't tell because of shame, fear of revenge, or worry that parents will be upset or make things bigger. Start with an open question like "What's the hardest part of the school day lately?" and listen to the end.

• Say first: "Thank you for telling me. It's not your fault."
• Avoid blaming words like "Why didn't you do anything?" or "You must have done something too."
• If you get very angry or cry, your child may stop telling you. Set your own feelings aside for now and listen calmly.
• Decide together what to do, and explain to your child before you contact the school. Be honest, though, that when safety is at stake, adults have to act even if they'd rather you didn't.
• Avoid confronting the other child yourself or arguing with their parents, which can make things worse.

📝Keep records and evidence

• Write down by date when, where, who and what happened, and who saw it. Note your child's exact words.
• Photograph injuries, and if you saw a doctor, get a medical certificate or records.
• Screenshot messages, social media posts and group chats with dates and accounts visible, and save them before deleting anything or leaving the chat.
• Keep track of damaged belongings and money taken.
• Also record changes in your child's sleep, eating and mood, and any contact with the school.

🏫Telling the school and reporting

First tell the homeroom teacher or the teacher in charge of school violence, using your records. In Korea, under the School Violence Prevention Act, a school that receives a report must look into it and take protective steps, such as separating the students, when needed.

In Korea, school violence can also be reported or discussed by calling 117 (school violence reporting and counseling, 24 hours) or by text (#0117). For crimes like assault or extortion, or in an emergency, call 112.

After investigating, the school principal can resolve minor cases that meet the requirements if the victim's side agrees. Otherwise, the school violence review committee at the local education office reviews the case and decides protective measures for the victim and measures for the student who bullied. If you disagree with the result, appeal procedures such as an administrative appeal are available.

Procedures and deadlines can change, so be sure to check the guidance from the school and education office. Your child can also get counseling from the school counselor (Wee Class) or the education office's Wee Center.

📱Cyberbullying

Swearing at or excluding someone in group chats, spreading secretly taken photos, fake accounts and repeatedly adding someone to a chat to harass them are all school violence too. Because it goes on day and night and spreads easily, the harm can be greater.

• Don't reply or hit back; first save evidence with screenshots.
• After saving evidence, block the person and use the platform's report function to request removal.
• Don't solve it by taking away your child's phone. They will learn that telling means losing the phone, and hide things next time.
• If photos or videos have spread, report to 112 and look into image-removal help from digital sex crime victim support services.

🔁If your child is the one bullying

Getting that call can feel shocking and unfair. Before defending or scolding your child, calmly find out what happened. Make clear that "it was just a joke" can still be bullying if the other child was hurt.

Help your child think about how the other child feels, and teach them to take responsibility with a sincere apology and changed behavior. Cooperate fully with the school's process.

Bullying can have reasons behind it, such as stress, being bullied elsewhere, peer pressure or trouble controlling impulses. If it keeps happening, get counseling to look at the causes together. Physical punishment can increase aggression and does not help.

🙋For children who see it

Tell children who witness bullying that they don't have to confront it alone, and that telling an adult or simply staying beside the child being bullied makes a big difference. Telling is not tattling; it is protecting a friend. In Korea, witnesses can also report to 117.

💬FAQ