Nearly half of parents who hit each other also hit their children, according to a survey on teenage abuse. The Teen Abuse Survey of Great Britain 2005 also revealed that:
- 33% of teenagers experience some form of domestic violence or abuse at home.
- 11% see their parents hit each other.
- 20% have been hit by their parents.
- Over 40% of all girls said they would "consider giving a boy a second chance" if he hit them.
- There is a clear link between girls experiencing domestic abuse in the home and being abused by boyfriends.
In response to these and other worrying statistics, an information pack on abuse in relationships and domestic abuse is being developed by Health Promoting Schools in partnership with Alison Blackler, Domestic Abuse Co-ordinator and Wendy Nulty, Teenage Pregnancy Project Officer. This resource aims to help teachers and school nurses initiate discussion on these sensitive issues within PSHE and SRE.
It is an information pack called 'Don't Live in Hell' and is part of Operation Goodwill, a Merseyside police and Childline partnership.
The plan is for it to be sent out to all the primary schools on the Wirral, free - the pack contains a CD-ROM, guidance on use of CD-ROM, teachers notes, a ruler and contact card for each year 6 pupil, posters for the schools promoting domestic violence issues, evaluation and return pre-paid envelope.There is a plan for various sector organistations to help the Police run the scheme in schools.