The causes behind the increase in incidents of violence among minors are discussed with parapolitika.gr by Alexandros Kalabris, a child and adolescent psychologist and scientific collaborator of the psychosocial intervention program “It’s Up to Youth” by EPAPSY, noting that children are trying to send a message to adults through such behavior.
Alexandros Kalabris on youth violence: The symbolic nature of attacks just before schools start
Regarding the brutal beating of an 18-year-old in Ilioupoli by minors, Mr. Kalabris points out that “it’s quite possible this attack has a symbolic character and is related to the start of schools. It’s like a cry of desperation from the children, like a way of seeking help. It also indicates the despair and hopelessness that these children probably feel, while it may also be related to a disturbed family environment that doesn’t give them the ability to rely on it and hope“. “Children are sending a message. ‘We are here’ and they are waiting for the recipient’s reaction,” he adds.
Why do minors often film incidents of violence?
“This is about promoting violence as a social value on social media platforms. Often minors film their attacks on other minors to be considered heroes and to show that they are the ones in control. That’s why periodically and under certain conditions, groups of minors, after coordinating through social media, organize clashes that now have the character of brutality. It’s as if they’re planning a battle in the middle of the city,” Mr. Kalabris responds to the question of why minors proceed to film incidents of youth violence, as in the Ilioupoli case.
How can violence among minors be curbed?
“Children who exercise violence need boundaries. We need to show them that we reject violence, but we accept our children and try to understand them,” emphasizes Mr. Kalabris.
Ilioupoli: Four arrests for brutal beating of 18-year-old – They beat him, robbed him and filmed the incident
It should be noted that on Tuesday afternoon, September 9, police from the Crime Detection and Investigation Department of Ilioupoli proceeded to arrest four minors who are accused of the brutal beating of an 18-year-old in the area’s square, as well as filming the incident. Those arrested are four minors, 2 males and two females, aged 15 and 16 years, and are charged -as applicable- with robbery by co-perpetration, bodily harm in common, insult and violation of personal data protection law. Additionally, three parents of the above were arrested for neglect of supervision of minors. Those arrested were brought before the competent prosecutor.
The timeline of the brutal beating in Ilioupoli
It is recalled that on the evening of Monday, September 8, in a square in Ilioupoli, the four defendants, together with two other individuals, allegedly approached the 18-year-old, who was talking with three other minors, and under the pretext of resolving their personal differences, initially one of the female defendants slapped him.
Subsequently, the 15-year-old and 16-year-old punched him, hitting him in the face and body, resulting in his injury and fall to the ground, took his mobile phone and fled. Throughout the entire incident, the two 15-year-old girls were filming the attack while insulting the 18-year-old and the three minors who were at the scene with him.
*Alexandros Kalabris is a child and adolescent psychologist, Health Officer of the Hellenic Police, PhD candidate at the Medical School of EKPA and scientific collaborator of the psychosocial intervention program “It’s Up to Youth” by EPAPSY
