Sexual harassment in schools, non-reporting challenge

The phenomenon of sexual harassment continues to be present in Kosovo schools. In a report published last year, over 30 percent of students surveyed by the Kosovo Student Council have claimed that there are cases of sexual harassment by teachers.

The challenge remains unreported.

In this regard, head of the Council of Students at the Low High School, “Elena Gjika” in Pristina, Soma Ismaili, in a response to Radio Kosovo, called for that if a student faces more sexual harassment, he should surely report to the school principals, because these cases can be prevented.

All students who experience sexual harassment should turn to me as student representatives, school psychologist, principal or coordinator and present what happened. They have to show who they're being harassed by, the student or the educator, because we're here to help, and we have to talk to the molester, so they can't be prevented from happening again, Ismaili declared.

The report is very important and tells Radio Kosovo even the school psychologist, the Maloku Framework. He said that in many cases victims are reluctant to report because of the culture we live in.

This case could be “, but it is necessary to report these cases. I consider reporting not done and may in some cases be concealed because of the culture and environment in which we are”, Maloku said.

Maloku also spoke of the consequences these children face in their lives and could come to suicide.

These cases should be reported because besides protecting students emotionally and psychologically, we can save that student. From these situations there are students who may fall into deep depression, this self - destructive behavior, and to suicide”, he said.

Such cases are not reported by the schools as well as confirmed by the Ministry of Education. And for teachers who were reported for sexual harassment, justice institutions have been closed for information on the progress of criminal processes against them. During 2022 the Council of Students of Kosovo was anonymously reported to three cases of sexual harassment by a teacher.

Meanwhile, Kosovo police do not have precise statistics on these cases, because according to them, reports are generally made for the criminal work of sexual harassment. In a response to Radio Kosovo, Kosovo Police have indicated that 91 cases of sexual harassment were reported in 2022 alone as a total figure. Police in various Kosovo municipalities have often held information on the topic of preventing sexual harassment in schools.