Report Highlights Young People's Experiences Of Violence

91% of young males and 96% of young females have experienced one or more violent acts or behaviours at some point in their lifetime, according to a new report on the experiences and attitudes of 16-year-olds in Northern Ireland.

The Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: Experiences and Attitudes of 16 year olds in Northern Ireland report has been published by The Executive Office. The report presents a range of statistics relating to young people's experiences of a range of violent acts and behaviours. Commentary is also provided on young people's attitudes on the acceptability of various behaviours.

Some of the key findings include:

• 91% of young males and 96% of young females have experienced one or more violent acts or behaviours at some point in their lifetime

• 76% of all young people reported having unwanted comments about their physical appearance

• Young females experience disproportionately more violent acts and behaviours than young males

• Young people who are not religious or those whose religion is other than Catholic or Protestant report disproportionately more experiences of violent acts and behaviours than those who identify themselves as Catholics or Protestants

• Young people with disabilities experience disproportionately more violent acts and behaviours than those who do not have disabilities

• Young people who identify with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual experience disproportionately more violent acts and behaviours than those who identify as heterosexual

• Almost one in five young males believe that posting jokes or nasty comments of a sexual nature on social media (19%), or cat calling, wolf whistling and shouting at someone in the street (18%) are acceptable behaviours

• More than half of young females personally know someone who has touched, hugged or kissed a girl or woman without her agreement (57%)

• Four in ten young males personally know someone who has posted a joke or made nasty comments of a sexual nature on social media about a girl or a woman (41%), or someone who has shared intimate photos or videos of a girl or woman without her agreement (40%)

The report is available on the Statistics and Research Branch section of The Executive Office website.