Research tells us that abuse is a gendered issue, with women and girls more likely to be victims and men and boys more likely to be perpetrators.

That isn’t to say it doesn’t happen in other ways. It does. But in the vast majority of cases, abuse involves a female victim being harmed by a male abuser.

Research also tells us that young people age 16–25 are the most vulnerable when it comes to experiencing relationship abuse.

We work in partnership with Act On It Now to help promote healthy teen relationships and stop domestic abuse from happening before it even starts.

Act On It Now

We teach girls and young women how to spot the warning signs of an abusive relationship and give them the confidence to speak to someone they trust, so they can end potentially abusive relationships before things escalate (or better still, avoid them altogether).

On the Act On It Now website, you’ll find topics such as: what is abuse, personal stories, how to help a friend and where to find help and support.

There are loads of resources available for young people as well as parents and professionals, including toolkits, guides and films. There’s also an Is It OK? quiz and a young person’s safety plan.

If you’re a concerned parent or professional…

Young people can experience abuse within family relationships or within peer intimate relationships. They can also experience grooming by their peers for child sexual exploitation (CSE).

If you’re a concerned parent or professional looking for support, there are sections for parents & carers and professionals on the Act On It Now website with lots more information about what you can do to help.

You can call us any time on 01270 250390 if you need to talk.

Healthy relationships & keeping happy at home

Our healthy relationships & keeping happy at home booklet is for children and young people who want to think about what relationships mean to them.

Download healthy relationships