Young people, self harm, violence and exploitation

Loaded: Tue, 25/03/2014 - 11:10

To mark Self-harm Awareness Day, which took place on Saturday 1 March, ChildLine, Selfharm.co.uk, YouthNet and Young Minds conducted a survey of almost 4,000 young people aged 25 and under.

Key findings from the survey included that:

  • One in four respondents named bullying as the main reason for self-harming;
  • When asked for their reasons for hurting themselves for the first time, 25 percent said bullying, 17 percent family relationships, 14 percent pressure to do well at schools, 11 percent emotional abuse and 11 percent said friendship.
  • 61 percent said that the event leading them to self-harm had made them feel ‘alone’; and
  • 38 percent admitted that, other than online, they had never spoken to anyone about their self-harming.

For further information visit www.nspcc.org.uk/news-and-views/media-centre/press-releases/2014/self-harm/bullying-loneliness-trigger-self-harm_wdn101478.html.

The Government has published an action plan to end violence against women and girls. Key points from the action plan include:

  • Re-launching the This is Abuse campaign, including collaborations with Hollyoaks and MTV, and a new focus on reaching young male perpetrators;
  • Progressing legislation to criminalise forced marriage in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill, to ensure that this unacceptable practice can be robustly prosecuted;
  • The domestic violence disclosure scheme (Clare’s Law) pilot and the announcement that the scheme will be rolled out nationally from March 2014;
  • Progressing legislation to criminalise forced marriage in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill;
  • Approximately £250,000 funding from the European Commission to fund a project raising awareness of Female Genital Mutilation in the UK; and
  • Approximately £250,000 continued funding from the European Commission to fund a project raising awareness of Female Genital Mutilation in the UK.

To download the access plan visit www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287758/VAWG_Action_Plan.pdf.

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has published a study of violence against women in the EU. The study, based on interviews with 42,000 women in 28 EU member states, found that:

  • 44 percent of women in the UK reported suffering physical or sexual violence since the age of 15; and
  • One in 10 of all women surveyed suffered sexual violence by an adult before the age of 15.

For further information visit http://fra.europa.eu/en/press-release/2014/violence-against-women-every-day-and-everywhere and http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2014/vaw-survey-main-results.

New research by Barnardo's has revealed that young people using their services have been targeted for sexual exploitation through a variety of online mediums including social networks, instant messaging apps, photo sharing apps, dating apps and online gaming.

The charity has launched a TV advertising campaign to highlight the problem of child sexual exploitation.

For further information visit www.barnardos.org.uk/barnardos/news/media_centre/New-research-shows-hundreds-of-young-people-are-in-danger-of-being-sexually-exploited-/press_releases.htm?ref=96212 and www.barnardos.org.uk/support-the-unsupported.htm.

To support the government's This Is Abuse campaign to address violence in teenage relationships, YouTube stars, Jamal Edwards and Mandem on the Wall have produced video blogs aimed at boys to raise awareness of sexting and controlling behaviour.

For further information and to watch the films visit www.gov.uk/government/news/sexting-and-controlling-behaviour-highlighted-in-teenage-relationship-campaign?utm_content=bufferf2180&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer.

Lastly, the BBC has produced a short drama about an inner city teenage girl coping with her mother's violent and abusive partner. The 14 minute film is available to watch on BBC iplayer at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01ssqvw.

Tags: 
Children, Young People & Families