Hundreds of cases of bullying have been reported in Ukrainian schools over the past year
Last year, law enforcement officials in Ukraine recorded 285 cases of bullying in educational institutions. Throughout the school year, the police filed an average of about 32 administrative reports each month regarding incidents of bullying among children.
This was reported by “OpenDataBot.”
Official statistics do not show the full picture
These figures refer only to officially registered reports to the police under Article 173-4 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. Experts emphasize that the actual number of bullying cases among children and adolescents may be significantly higher.
According to law enforcement, in 2025, the number of bullying reports increased by 8% compared to the previous year. At the same time, the figures have not yet returned to the levels recorded before the start of the full-scale war. For comparison, in 2021, law enforcement issued an average of 37 bullying reports per month.
Since the beginning of 2026, the police have already filed 107 reports of bullying. This is 18% less than during the same period last year. On average, there are currently 27 cases per month.
Larysa Gretchenko, Chair of the NAAU Committee on Family Law, notes that official statistics do not reflect the full extent of the problem.
“Parents often avoid escalating conflicts with the school because, in many communities, the school is effectively the only option for education, and transferring a child to another school or switching to a different form of education is not always feasible. Often, parents fear conflict with the school or peer pressure, or they do not believe that an official complaint will help protect their child,” notes Larysa Gretchenko.
More and more cases are reaching the courts
At the same time, the number of cases reaching the courts is gradually increasing. While in 2021 decisions were issued in only 55% of cases, by 2025 courts had already heard 75% of bullying cases. This year, that figure is lower so far—decisions were issued in only 41% of cases.
Most often, cases of bullying are recorded among children and adolescents. In 2025, 58% of all reports involved bullying involving minors. In total, there were 164 cases. Since the beginning of this year, there have already been 67 such cases.
After a decline in 2022, bullying among adults is on the rise again
Also, following a decline in the first year of the full-scale war, law enforcement began recording bullying by adults more frequently. Last year, the police recorded 65 such cases—a 14% increase from the previous year.
According to Larisa Gretchenko, the sharp drop in statistics in 2022 did not indicate a real decrease in the number of bullying incidents. This was influenced by remote learning, wartime stress, and the reluctance of schools and parents to officially report conflicts.
Separately, the number of cases involving repeated or group bullying by adults is on the rise. In 2025, law enforcement recorded 16 such cases—one and a half times more than the previous year. Nearly all of these cases have already been heard in court.
At the same time, the number of group bullying cases among children and adolescents is gradually decreasing. Last year, the police recorded 24 such cases—20% fewer than in 2024.
Schools are increasingly being held accountable for covering up bullying
Law enforcement agencies also continue to hold school administrators accountable for covering up bullying incidents. In 2025, 16 reports were filed for failure to report bullying—a 23% increase compared to before the full-scale war began.
“Schools do not always cover up bullying intentionally. Often, the administration tries to ‘resolve everything internally’ to avoid a scandal or reputational damage. At the same time, it is entirely possible today to hold a principal accountable—the relevant legal precedent has already been established,” the lawyer emphasized.
The expert believes that state policy should focus not only on punishment but also on bullying prevention, psychological support for children, and the development of a mediation system in schools.
As a reminder, Singapore has legalized corporal punishment for bullyingin schools — The Guardian.
In Ukraine, the number of administrative reports for bullying in schools and universities has increased.
As a reminder, in December 2018, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law providing for punishment for “bullying”—the harassment of children in educational institutions. According to the document, not only those involved in the bullying but also educators who ignore such cases are held accountable for these offenses.
