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Teenagers asked "Would you spot abuse?" as Relationship campaign goes live

Teenagers asked "Would you spot abuse?" as Relationship campaign goes live

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 01 September 2011

A powerful advertising campaign to challenge the attitudes of teenagers to violence and abuse in relationships was launched by the Home Office today.

With 75 per cent of girls and 50 per cent of boys reporting that they have experienced some form of emotional abuse, the TV, cinema, outdoor and online advertising campaign aims to help teenagers recognise abusive behaviour at an early stage, before it escalates to physical violence.

The adverts are directed towards 13-18 year-olds and feature young couples in a variety of settings. Viewers are challenged to identify controlling behaviour and to reconsider their own attitudes about what is acceptable behaviour in relationships.

All the adverts point young people towards a website where they can find information, seek help and chat with their peers. The site is designed to encourage sharing of the campaign materials across social networks and will also host live web chats with experts. The first of these will happen tomorrow, 2 September at 5pm.

Minister Lynne Featherstone said:

"Although teenage romances can often be short lived, we know that sometimes, they can be just as intense and important as adult relationships. In extreme cases they can also fall foul of the same pitfalls and dangers. That's why it is so important to ensure young people develop healthy relationships and know where to go for support when things go wrong.

"We need to challenge the attitudes and behaviours that foster an acceptance of abusive relationships by intervening as early as possible. Bringing the issue out in the open will help teenagers feel confident to challenge abusive behaviour when they experience it or see it."

The campaign, funded by the Home Office, is part of a long-term communications plan to tackle violence and challenge attitudes that relationship abuse is acceptable.


087/2011


NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Adverts will run 1 September to 16 October, and can be viewed on the campaign website at: www.direct.gov.uk/thisisabuse.

2. To view and download other campaign material visit: http://pressitt.com/newsroom/ukhome-office/smnr/Teenagers-asked-Would-you-spot-abuse-as-relationship-campaign-goes-live/6339/

3. Abuse is surprisingly common in teenage intimate relationships with 75 per cent of girls and 50 per cent of boys reporting that they have experienced some form of emotional abuse in a relationship and 25 per cent of girls and 18 per cent of boys reporting that they have experienced some form of physical abuse.

4. These figures come from a representative survey of 1,500 UK teenagers conducted by the NSPCC in 2009 called "Partner exploitation and violence in teenage intimate relationships". The report can be found here: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform/research/findings/partner_exploitation_and_violence_wda68092.html

5. TV adverts were directed by BAFTA award winning Shane Meadows, director of This is England, Somers Town, Le Donk and Scor-zay-zee among others.

6. For more information please contact Home Office Press Office on 020 7035 3535.

Contacts:

Home Office Press Office
Phone: 020 7035 3535
NDS.HO@coi.gsi.gov.uk

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