1. Combining real and virtual violence prevention Georgi Apostolov coordinator Awareness node Bulgaria 2nd International Conference “Keeping Children and Young People Safe Online” Warsaw, Poland, Kyriad Prestige Hotel, 18-19 September 2008

2. The problem: Virtuality turned reality  Internet – part of the real world  Everyday use from 3 to 6 hours  Communication and socialization at 1 st place  Online and offline continuum  “Computerized” slang - “computerized” behaviour  Growing e-violence and e-bullying  New “virtual-real” patterns of violence

3. New “virtual-real” patterns of violence  Victimizing teachers  Home/school produced illegal sexual content  Staged beatings  Extortion  Personal data theft>>e-bullying>>physical assault>>video-clipping>>Internet posting Inadequate response – focus either on “real” or on e-violence

4. The project: Children in Virtual and Real Violence – Prevention by Discourse and Education  Correlating virtual and real violence  Lessons based on interactive games and discussion  Recognition of various forms of violence  Provoking empathy and compassion  Teaching reaction and prevention Parents Association

5. Activities  24 lessons developed for two age groups – 11-15, and 16-18 years – by pedagogues, psychologists and IT experts  Piloting in 3 schools to test the lessons – April-July 2008: all lessons tested in 39 classes – 19 of the first age group and 20 in the second age group with between 750 and 800 pupils.  From October 2008 – full course in 10 schools  Online platform for school principals and educators hosted on the innovative teachers’ portal website – www.teacher.bg www.teacher.bg

6. The topics 1, Violence 2, Violence – virtuality and reality 3. Violence – victim and perpetrator 4. Coping with tension, anxiety, stress 5. Bullying – virtual and real 6. Coping with anger 7. Building self-confidence 8. Coping with problems 9. The victim – coping with reality (forum-theater) 10. Harmful and illegal content in Internet 11. Sexual violence 12. web112.net – the Hotline fighting virtual violence 13. Helpline for children victims of violence 14. Visual violence in Internet 15. Safe communication in Internet 16. Victim of violence – strategies for coping 17. Verbal violence 18. Passive violence 19. Indifference as a form of violence 20. Unconscious violence 21. Terrorism – the global violence 22. Gossips as a form of violence 23. Non-violent communication

7. The online platform - request

8. The online platform – request acceptance

9. The online platform – resources online

10. Main conclusions from the testing period  High interest and toward topics concerning Internet and e-violence  The topics of sexual violence, victim of violence provoke passive resistance – “It can’t happen to me”  Boys are more active and provocative than girls  Very low sensitivity towards forms of e-violence – as a rule not recognized as violence (unlike “real” violence forms); girls more sensitive  Pupils like most the free discussion form of the lessons; the 11-15 age group like more the interactive games  In written feedback pupils say they like most the possibility to understand what their classmates think of the problem – violence is rarely discussed among them

11. Expected results  Entry and exit surveys  Support from the Ministry of education  More schools and teachers around the country using the course  Developing other topical courses for use through the online platform

12. Thank you for your kind attention! georgi.apostolov@online.bg