Unga som vittnen till våld - En vinjettstudie om attityder och handlingsbenägenhet när en vän är utsatt respektive utövar våld i nära relation.

This study aimed to examine how young adolescents assess the seriousness of different forms of intimate partner violence and how they report that they would act when a friend is either a victim or a perpetrator of such violence. The study focused on attitudes and intervention intentions from a peer perspective, with particular attention to gender differences. A quantitative vignette-based survey was conducted among students in their last year of high school in Skåne, Sweden (n=56). The survey measured perceived seriousness and self-reported intervention intention in relation to digital, psychological, and latent forms of violence. The results showed clear gender differences in assessments of seriousness, particularly regarding psychological and latent violence, which were rated as more serious by girls than by boys. Digital violence was assessed as serious to a similar extent by both genders. Gender differences in intervention intention were limited. Regardless of gender, respondents most commonly stated that they would address the situation by talking directly to their friend rather than seeking help from adults or professionals. Overall, the findings underline the crucial role that peers play in shaping how relationship violence is recognized and handled among young adolescents. They also suggest that gender norms have a stronger influence on how violence is perceived than on how young adolescents intend to intervene. These insights highlight the need for prevention efforts that engage peer groups and challenge normative assumptions surrounding violence in adolescent relationships.