How has domestic violence amongst young people changed as a result of Covid-19.

Research conducted by ‘Young’ Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire (five students currently studying at Central Bedfordshire College) - explored how domestic violence amongst young people changed as a result of Covid-19 with the aim of making a positive impact.

Methodology: The students carried out desk research to discover new and existing information about domestic abuse, then developed an online survey. They also directly spoke with the Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker for Central Bedfordshire Council to better understand the different forms of domestic abuse and type of support available.

The survey was widely distributed via many social media platforms and sent directly to various contacts by email. In total, 38 participants completed our survey, aged between 13 and 24+ years old.

Conclusions: The survey showed that 52% of people felt that they had support and help regarding domestic abuse during the pandemic, however 26% felt they did not. This shows how important it is to spread awareness of the support available for domestic violence, so people are aware of the help they can access. 44% of responders felt that more support would be beneficial. The results also showed how domestic abuse among young people has changed as a result of Covid-19. The survey provided data which showed how many people were suffering from different types of abuse and provided an insight into the impact of domestic violence among young people. The students were not aware how large scale the issue was and were very surprised how many people suffered from domestic abuse, or knew of someone who had, given the relatively small group of people who responded to the survey, and how Covid-19 has impacted this.

Recommendations: Recommendations included a range of advice on where victims of domestic violence can go for help or support.