A screenshot of the report issued by the joint investigation team in Lujiang County, Hefei, East China's Anhui Province. Photo: Sina Weibo

In response to a slapping incident involving local underage students, a joint investigation team from Lujiang county in Hefei, East China’s Anhui Province, issued a report on Friday. The three individuals involved are all underage girls between the ages of 12 and 13.

The joint investigation team, composed of members from the local education, public security, and health departments, found that on June 18, two students, identified by their surnames Dai and Liu, from a local school slapped Zhang, a 12-year-old girl outside the school campus. 

Earlier, a video showing a girl being cornered and slapped had been filmed by a netizen and posted online, sparking public discussion. Video footage posted online appears to show the two students taking turns slapping the girl. In the footage, one girl is seen slapping the girl three times on the right cheek, before the other girl steps in and delivers two more slaps to the left cheek. 

A number of onlookers were present at the scene. Throughout the ordeal, the victim did not fight back.

According to the official situation report, the public security authorities have “summoned Dai and Liu for investigation” and “have urged their school and guardians to fulfil their supervisory responsibilities” and promptly address any underlying conflicts. According to the report, Dai, Liu, and their guardians have acknowledged their wrongdoing and apologized to Zhang. 

Meanwhile, the investigation team has arranged for designated personnel to provide psychological counselling and care assistance to the slapped student, Zhang. The report also urged the public to respect the privacy of minors and refrain from sharing any videos or images related to the incident.

The incident has now become a trending topic on Sina Weibo’s social issues chart, 
attracting more than 440,000 views. Some netizens called for stronger measures against campus bullying, while others have called for greater psychological support for victims of bullying.

“It is the most typical case of campus bullying,” one Sina Weibo user wrote.

Global Times