Teenagers have always been rebels. But what was once limited to disputes or small pranks, today turns into aggression, which is shocking in its scale and brutality. Fights in school corridors, humiliation in social networks, confrontations in the streets – all these are no longer random manifestations, but part of the new reality. Adolescent violence no longer hides in the shadows: it becomes a regular attribute of the news, generating a wave of questions and fears. At the same time, videos of fights, bullying and humiliation become not only a part of everyday life, but also a tool for self-affirmation of the younger generation. In a world where social tension and uncertainty about the future are growing, adolescent aggression often appears not only as a result of external factors, but also as a signal of profound changes within society. Why did aggression become the language of communication among teenagers? Are martial law and general tension really the driving forces behind this disturbing phenomenon?
Juvenile crime statistics
Today’s teenagers choose cruelty as a way of communicating with the world. Society should think, because this is not just an alarm bell, but a real alarm signal at full volume. There were fights, bullying, and humiliation before. But they were severely condemned in society and seemed to be an exception. Today, such behavior is becoming a part of teenage culture. And the worst thing about this is that we risk raising a generation for whom cruelty is the highest manifestation of “coolness”.
The statistics are shocking numbers – more than 219 cases of bullying were recorded in Ukrainian schools in only 10 months of 2024. Every second report for bullying is filed against teenagers aged 14 to 16. Every sixth recorded offense is bullying committed by a group of people, moreover repeatedly. But what is most impressive is the fact that among the statistical data there are 12 protocols for educators who knew about bullying, but indifferently kept it quiet. Meanwhile, according to the Ukrainian Institute for the Study of Extremism, 40% of child suicides occur precisely as a result of bullying.
In Ukraine, since October 2024, there has been an anonymous button for reporting cases of bullying, and 16 regions of the country have already used it. During this period, 85 anonymous reports have already been submitted.
According to the Ministry of Education and Culture, most applications (80%) are submitted by parents, and only 20% – from children – victims of bullying. The top active users of the button were:
- Kyiv Region – 36 messages;
- Odesa – 9 messages;
- Lviv Oblast – 8 messages.
It is worth noting that the courts began to consider such cases more efficiently. Since the beginning of the year, 160 decisions have been adopted, which is 73% of all protocols drawn up in 2024. For comparison, in the previous three years, decisions were made on average in only 60% of cases. But such crimes have also increased significantly over the past two years. Thus, in 2021, reports on teenagers accounted for only 45% of all cases. Also, more than 20% of bullying cases do not go to court because the trial period has expired.
Horrifying evidence of teenage rage
As are reported law enforcement agencies of the Kyiv region, in 2024 the number of crimes committed by minors increased and amounted to 194 cases, which is 2.5 times more than in 2023. Disappointing statistics the law enforcement officers of the Mykolaiv Oblast also presented – 121 criminal offenses committed by teenagers were recorded in the region, which exceeded the indicators of 2023 by 20%. These are, first of all, cases of theft, fraudulent activities, theft of motor vehicles and robberies.
On January 20, 2025, the press service of the Juvenile Police of Ukraine reported about a case of bullying by teenagers against a 12-year-old IDP girl in Bila Tserkva. The Internet was immediately filled with photos of young criminals who chose the path of aggression to communicate with their peers. Having undergone severe trials due to the loss of housing and a change of residence, instead of sympathy and support, the girl was repaid with abuse, which was recorded on video.
The victim’s mother contacted the police. A 16-year-old boy, who is suspected of organizing the crime, has been charged with torture and extortion during martial law. He faces up to 12 years in prison. The investigation is ongoing and also concerns other participants. But the reaction of the father of one of the attackers is impressive. He did not plead guilty to his juvenile delinquent son, but instead needed evidence that was already available and threatened to hire a lawyer. It is not surprising that such parents raised such aggressive and incapable of civilized coexistence in society, children. And these, unfortunately, are rare cases today.
On January 25, 2025, another one appeared online video, in which a group of teenagers beat a boy in the basement of a high-rise building. In the video, one of the participants in the fight can be seen punching and kicking the boy until another young man pulled him away. And at this time, the accomplices of the crime filmed the event and made sure that passers-by did not notice them.
On January 19, 2025, a conflict occurred between two girls living in the village of Mykulychyn, Ivano-Frankivsk region. But the law enforcement officers were able to react to it only on January 24, when a terrible video of the fight went viral on the Internet. The video shows how two schoolgirls knocked each other to the ground and had a brutal fight, but no complaints were made to the police about the incident.
On January 6, 2025, a 13-year-old teenager filmed himself beating a sixth-grader in Khmilnytskyi district, Vinnytsia region. The mother of the beaten boy, who came across a video on one of the social networks, contacted the police. This fact is being investigated by criminal proceedings under Part 1 Art. 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (hooliganism – ed.). The final legal qualification of the event will be provided after all investigative actions have been completed.
A show of aggression
Teenagers today don’t just fight, they turn violence into a show. Brutal beatings are captured on camera and then posted on social media as if it were part of the entertainment or a way to make a statement. This is no longer just aggression, but a new level of immorality, where someone else’s pain becomes content.
The scariest thing is that for many teenagers it doesn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary. They joke in the comments, collect likes, share videos with friends. In today’s world, “viral content” has become more valuable than basic humanity. For teenagers, this is the most effective way to assert themselves, even through someone else’s fear or humiliation.
When a child pulls out the phone instead of stopping the abuse, it shows how far we have lost control of the education of values. Violence has become a spectacle, and those who film it are directors in a theater of cruelty. And it’s not only about those who hit, but also about those who watch. Likes and reposts make every viewer an accomplice. We are creating a culture where aggression becomes fashionable and morality becomes uninteresting.
The question is not how to take phones away from teenagers or block videos. It is important to understand how to restore children’s sense of empathy, shame and responsibility. Because if we ignore it now, tomorrow we will be looking at a world where compassion has lost the rating, and cruelty has become the main currency.
People quickly find the “culprit” – the war. She really destroyed not only homes, but also children’s peace, faith in the future. But is this the only reason? Perhaps we need to dig deeper to understand what is really happening to our future generation.
Children today live in an environment where aggression among adults has become commonplace, it literally surrounds them from all sides. Social networks, movies, video games, YouTube constantly provide content where violence is perceived as something exciting or even cool. In such conditions, the child understands cruelty not as an exception, but as the norm.
Add to this the indifference or exhaustion of parents, who are often so busy with their own problems that they simply withdraw from their children’s lives. The child remains alone with his world, where no one explains what is good and what is bad. And in this world, aggression becomes a common tool for self-affirmation or protection.
We are already seeing the consequences: a generation for which cruelty is not something terrible, but simply a part of everyday life. And we remain passive observers as this “norm” becomes the basis of the future of our society.
To stop this process, you need to resort to joint active actions. It is worth understanding the fact that aggression in such behavior is not a cause, but a symptom. And if we want to change something, we should pay attention not only to the consequences, but also to what creates them. You need to talk to children, listen to them, create a safe space where they can openly share their problems. We need to review what we allow them to consume and become adults who do not shy away from responsibility for their upbringing.
Probably, most of us will notice that earlier there were fewer cases of teenage violence. But it was not because the children were better or kinder. It’s just that the world worked differently then, the adults themselves were kinder. Violence existed even then, but it was considered a shame, not something to show off.
There could be fights in the yard or at school, but that was the end of it. The system of social control worked hard. Neighbors, teachers, parents immediately intervened, and it was not only the one who struck, but also the one who stood by who was at fault. There was a common understanding in society that cruelty is abnormal and everyone is responsible for ending it.
Parents paid more attention to education. There were no smartphones that replaced communication in the family, and everyone knew their boundaries: what was allowed and what was categorically prohibited. A huge role was played by moral principles, which were actively inculcated through the family, school, and even the local community.
Another important factor is the lack of publicity. If one crossed the line, it did not become part of one’s entertainment. Beatings or humiliations were not broadcast to the network to collect likes. Everything remained at the level of a small conflict, which was quickly resolved by adults or other children.
Community used to be of great importance. Children spent more time together, played sports games, and chatted live. In such conditions, aggression could not turn into something more. She was simply lost in social connections.
Today, violence among teenagers has increased precisely because we have lost this social balance. Technologies, remoteness, indifference gave impetus to aggression and turned it into a real epidemic. There are many reasons, but they all revolve around one thing – emptiness. Emotional, spiritual, social. Children grow up in a world where the value of human life is devalued before their eyes, and violence is broadcast everywhere: from social media feeds to their favorite TV series.
Add to this the indifference of adults who are immersed in their own problems, and you have a toxic cocktail in which teenage aggression becomes inevitable. It is obvious that this will lead to a world where fists will act instead of dialogue, where compassion will be replaced by indifference, and fear instead of trust. We risk losing an entire generation, which may not build a happy future, because it simply will not know how to do it without aggression.
How to deal with manifestations of aggression among teenagers abroad
Adolescent aggression is not only a problem of Ukraine. Societies around the world are facing the fact that youth is turning into a battlefield, where instead of dreams and plans, there are insults, fists and bullying. But if you look abroad, you can see how different countries are trying to solve this challenge.
In the USA, aggression among teenagers has become so acute that films are made about it and nationwide campaigns are launched. One of the most powerful tools has become programs in schools where children are taught to recognize their emotions, talk about problems and not be afraid to ask for help. But the most interesting thing is the use of technology. Some states operate anonymous mobile apps where teens can report bullying or violence without fear of retribution.
In Sweden, Norway and Finland, aggression is considered a systemic problem. There, every school is not just a place for learning, but also a space where a child should feel safe. Psychologists are actively working for this, mandatory trainings are held for teachers and even parents. And there are also regular “dialogue hours”, where teenagers learn to resolve conflicts with words, not fists.
Japan, known for its discipline, approaches the problem in a special way. There, great importance is attached to collective responsibility. If a child has shown aggression, it becomes not only his problem, but also the concern of the class, school and even the community. Often, aggressive teenagers are recruited into volunteer programs so that they learn empathy through helping others.
In Germany, they are betting on early prevention. Social services work with families at risk before the problem becomes apparent. Mediation programs are active in schools, and teachers undergo special training to recognize alarm signals at early stages.
It is clear that each country has its own approaches, but the general rule is one: aggression does not disappear by itself. It is fought through education, dialogue and support. It’s a long and complicated process, but it works. And the main lesson to be learned is that this problem cannot be ignored in any case. Because if you don’t invest in raising children today, you will have to invest in prisons tomorrow.
Children always mirror what they see in adults. They are not born cruel or indifferent, they are shaped by their environment. It is impossible to demand kindness and tolerance from the younger generation, when the world of adults demonstrates aggression, injustice and contempt for other people’s borders. If adults scream, resolve conflicts with force, or simply ignore the importance of empathy, children quickly adopt this pattern of behavior. Teaching kindness doesn’t start with school lessons or books, it starts with how adults treat each other. If we want to see humanity in children, we must demonstrate it ourselves every day.
