The French parliament has passed a bill that would make violence between peers at school a crime punishable by up to three years in prison.

The MPs stressed that the society needs a wake-up call due to the seriousness of the fact that the targeted children have their peers.

The proposed law was backed by Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanker, who said the law sent a strong message to society that "we will never accept the destruction of our children's lives".

It is estimated that one in 10 French children has faced peer violence and that social networks increase the potential for public ridicule and humiliation.
Blanker pointed out that the bill is "a way to implement the values ​​of the Republic."

The bill was approved by the lower house of parliament and will now go to a vote in the upper house, and is expected to be adopted in February next year.

The passage of this law, as stated, will introduce penalties for peer violence in France, which will be among the most severe in the world.

Erwan Balanant, a lawmaker from the ModDem (Democratic Movement) party who drafted the law, said the new law and heavy fines were a way to "engage society as a whole".

- It is not about sending children to prison, stated Balanant.

He added that criminal law could establish a "system of values ​​in society".

The new law will apply to children and adults in schools and universities
In the most severe cases, if a victim of school violence is killed or attempted murder, the maximum penalty for such an offense can be up to 10 years in prison and 150.000 euros.

Several cases of peer violence have ended tragically in France this year, including the suicide of a 14-year-old girl in Alsace in October.

Source: MIA