Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: Experiences and attitudes of 16 year olds in Northern Ireland in 2024

Date published: 13 March 2025

The report presents statistics relating to young people’s personal experiences of gender-based violence, location of violence, ease of access to help and support, who they would report gender-based violence to if they were a victim, barriers to reporting, likelihood of experiencing gender-based violence, perceptions of safety in certain locations, and positive relationships.

Some of the key findings include:

• In the last year, almost a fifth of 16 year olds had experienced online violence (19%). Psychological violence was experienced by 18% of respondents. Just over one in ten had experienced sexual violence (11%) and 7% had experienced physical violence.
• Significantly more females than males reported experiencing the following forms of violence in the last year:
  • Online: females 26%; males 9%
  • Psychological: females 23%; males 9%
  • Sexual: females 17%; males 3%
• Of those respondents experiencing violent acts or behaviour in the last year, the most common places where they occurred were online (42%), at school (35%) and a public outdoor space (26%).
• More female respondents thought it would be difficult to get help and support if they were a victim of gender-based violence than males (females 31%; males 24%).
• 63% of respondents would report gender-based violence or abuse to a family member and 48% of respondents would report to a close friend.
• The most common barrier that female respondents felt would stop young people from reporting violence was ‘worry that they would not be believed’ (75%), followed by ‘concern that it might make the situation worse’ (73%).
• Over half of respondents (51%) thought that, compared with two years ago, it was more likely that women and girls in Northern Ireland will become victims of gender-based violence online.
• The most common place where female respondents felt unsafe was using public transport on their own, with almost half (49%) feeling this way.
• More than half of respondents (56%) agreed they are taught about developing and maintaining positive relationships with other people.

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

Further information relating to the collection and production of the statistics can be obtained by contacting:

Irene Hanna
Statistics and Research Branch
The Executive Office
Castle Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3SR

Email: teostatisticsresearch@executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk
Telephone: 028 9052 8215