The Youth Endowment Fund YEF has surveyed over 10,000 teenage children aged 13-17 in England and Wales about their experiences of violence, over the past year. The findings are detailed across five reports, each focusing on a different aspect:
- Who is affected by violence?
- What role does social media play in violence affecting young people?
- How do boys and girls experience violence?
- What do children and young people think about the police?
- Who has access to positive activities, youth clubs and trusted adults?
Many of the 16% of children who committed violence cited reactive motivations. For instance, 36% acted out of annoyance, humiliation or feeling threatened, while 29% retaliated for previous violence. Bullying is a significant factor for 25% of respondents, and 17% report engaging in violence for self-defence or due to rivalries related to gangs, neighbourhoods or schools. Half (49%) of all children who perpetrated violence in the past year have also been a victim themselves.
In this year’s survey, 20% of teenage children told the YEF they’ve been a victim of violence in the past 12 months. Over half (61%) of these incidents led to physical injury, equating to 440,000 children in England and Wales.
For some, these experiences are not one-off. Of all teenagers who were victims of violence, 65% had it happen multiple times within the year, with nearly a third (31%) reporting it occurred more than five times.
Common forms of violence:
- Physical assault is the most common form of violence, affecting 9% of all 13-17-year-olds.
- Robbery and sexual assault were each reported by 6%.
- Being threatened or attacked with a weapon was experienced by 5%.
- Most victims have been the victim of violence from someone they know, whether a family member (17%), a friend (31%) or another acquaintance (41%).
Many of the 16% of children who committed violence cited reactive motivations. For instance, 36% acted out of annoyance, humiliation or feeling threatened, while 29% retaliated for previous violence. Bullying is a significant factor for 25% of respondents, and 17% report engaging in violence for self-defence or due to rivalries related to gangs, neighbourhoods or schools. Half (49%) of all children who perpetrated violence in the past year have also been a victim themselves.