Number of Arrests Also Increased by 30.2%
Establishing Customized Strategies for the Second Half of the Year
The number of school violence reports in the first half of this year increased by 7.7% compared to the previous year. In particular, the increase in sexual violence and sexual harassment was notable.
On the 22nd, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that the number of school violence reports in the first half of this year (January to June) was 4,688, a 7.7% increase compared to the same period last year (4,351 cases). During the same period, the number of arrests increased by 30.2%, from 1,032 to 1,344 cases.
By type, the increase in sexual violence and sexual harassment was significant. This year, the number of reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment was 662, a 161.7% increase compared to 253 cases in the same period last year. The number of arrests rose by 45.2%, from 217 to 315 cases. An analysis of the reported incidents showed that forced molestation (55.9%) was the most common, followed by sexual harassment (16.8%) and crimes involving the use of cameras (11.3%). Notably, forced molestation occurred more frequently between the same sex (51.9%) than between opposite sexes (47.3%), with a higher incidence among males (89%) compared to females (11%).
By age group, elementary school students accounted for 47%, middle school students 34%, and high school students 15%. Compared to the previous year, elementary school cases decreased by 5.2%, while middle school and high school cases increased by 21.6% and 35.2%, respectively. The incidents occurred more frequently outside school (54.6%) than inside school (45.4%).
Based on the analysis results from the first half of the year, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency plans to carry out school violence response activities in the second half. First, they will issue a 'School Bell' alert for the summer vacation period. The School Bell is a notification system jointly operated by the police and the education office to quickly inform parents and schools when new types of school violence occur, thereby preventing crimes. This summer's School Bell will include recent cases of cyber sexual violence (deepfake), gambling and drugs, and theft, along with arrests.
Additionally, they will produce 'Youth Sexual Crime Prevention Education Materials' during the summer vacation and conduct focused prevention education starting from the next school semester. The educational materials will mainly cover cases of same-sex sexual harassment, cyber sexual harassment, deepfake, and other digital sexual crimes, focusing on victimization and arrests. They will also intensively provide healing and counseling through cooperation with specialized institutions (such as the Korea Center on Gambling Problems Prevention and Treatment) to address the rapidly increasing issues of youth gambling and drug abuse.
Jo Ji-ho, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, stated, "To effectively respond to the changing patterns of crime due to advances in IT technology, it is essential to conduct a thorough analysis of crime trends and establish tailored strategies accordingly. In particular, to prevent youth crimes that are sensitive to environmental changes, we plan to collaborate with related organizations such as the education office to carry out various preventive activities."
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