24 Hour Domestic Violence Help-line

"1 in 2 boys and 1 in 3 girls believe that there are some circumstances when it is okay to hit a woman or force her to have sex.”

These were findings from research into young people’s attitudes on sex, violence and relationships, commissioned by the Zero Tolerance Trust in 1998.

Since then, public campaigns, mass media projects and education initiatives have consistently driven home the message that violence against women is unacceptable.

In February 2006, Health Scotland published follow-up research, which though not a straight repeat of the1998 report, was able to assess changes in young people’s attitudes towards gendered violence. Compared to earlier findings, the 2006 report showed a small but significant positive shift in the knowledge base and attitudes amongst young people.

Despite this, many continue to report experiencing or using violence in their own intimate relationships. One in five survey respondents thought that a person has the right to use violence within the context of an intimate relationship, e.g. if their partner has two-timed them, and one in two thought that a woman can sometimes provoke violence by the way she dresses.

 To access the full report follow the adjacent link or go to the members section of the NDVF website.