Most teens have friend in violent relationship

HIGH numbers of young people have friends who are in violent relationships, including schoolgirls.

A study by a women’s support group discovered 95% of young women and 84% of young men reported knowing someone who had experienced abuse, violence or harassment.

The dangers ranged from victims being stalked, being forced to have sex or being assaulted by a partner.

In most cases, the victims were young women.

New guidelines to help prevent violence, including attacks and threats in teenage relationships, were launched in Limerick yesterday.

Studies showed the vast majority of secondary school students — boys and girls — know of people in their school who had been attacked, stalked or forced to have sex.

The guidelines are based on recommended best practice internationally and are intended as a back-up for all in the post-primary education sector.

They were produced by the Mid-West Regional Planning Committee (RPC) on violence against women in conjunction with the second-level school sector.

Speaking at the launch, Monica McElvaney, chairwoman of the planning committee said: “We are acutely aware of the extent of violence in teen relationships and we are, therefore, keen to develop this initiative to support young people in developing healthy relationships.

“The figures reiterate the horrific findings from other research in Ireland and internationally.

“The production of these guidelines is an attempt to redress this balance and to enable frontline women’s services, along with the second-level education sector, to work cooperatively in this area,” she said.

Junior health minister Marie Hoctor said the guidelines represented a concrete approach to prevent aggression by young people from within the post-primary education sector.

“The guidelines draw our attention to the essential need to intervene constructively to help shape young people’s ideas, attitudes and behaviours before key social behaviours become set,” Ms Hoctor said.

“The Good Practice Guidelines for Violence against Women show evidence that, in the mid-west, such developments are taking place and collaborative practice in early interventions are well under way.

“Many developments have taken place at national and local level since the first taskforce on Violence against Women in 1996.”

The Mid-West Regional Committee is planning to pilot the guidelines in the coming academic year with a selection of post-primary schools and senior Traveller training centres in Clare, Limerick and north Tipperary.