New research and resources on violence between girls in Scotland

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, General measures of implementation
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This report is called The Lassies are no Feart, it details findings from a small-scale qualitative research with young women and practitioners in Scotland about violence between girls. The research was conducted by No Knives Better Lives (NKBL), one of YouthLink Scotland’s national programmes, between May and December 2023.

The research focused on key areas of girls’ lives that can contribute to violence, including family life, relationships, community and social media in a bid to determine what the perceptions of and influences on violence are for young women in Scotland.

Among the key findings was that many young women felt that family influence, especially from mothers, often supported and contributed to girls’ involvement in violence. Young women also found it difficult to have their voices around violence taken seriously, with adults not providing adequate support until issues had escalated beyond their control when it came to resolving conflicts.

The report adds a gendered lens to youth violence prevention, ensuring that strategies and programmes can better support girls and young women can reach their full potential. It is a call to action for everyone working with young women to take seriously the issues they are facing.

Alongside the full report, NKBL has also created a range of resources and training materials to complement the research.

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New research and resources on violence between girls in Scotland