Social Sense has recently concluded a successful 12-month pilot project with local secondary schools in Salford, tackling the misperceptions that exist around domestic violence and abuse (DVA).

In an area where DVA costs £1.2m a year and GMP are dealing with increased cases year on year, Salford CCG were keen to try a new approach with local 13 and 14 year olds.

Applying previously proven techniques from our R U Different? programme, students first took part in an online survey to uncover their own attitudes and experiences surrounding DVA.

The same students then attended a workshop where discussions were opened up around the topic. Armed with the knowledge that youth-led messaging can create huge impacts we set them a challenge; to create campaigns to 1. promote the signs of a healthy relationship and 2. the support channels available to them. The winning ideas were professionally created and displayed around their school.

Another major and unique part of the project was for the students to create campaigns for younger children; these were sent to eight local primary schools in the area, for which we received amazing feedback.

It was then time for the same cohort to complete a second survey to measure any change in attitudes. The results were astounding!

Across all questions, there were improvements in attitude. There was an overall 18% shift in attitude towards physical abuse from 67% to 79%.

Other key positive messages came out; 94% agreed that emotional abuse is as bad as physical abuse and 99% agree that both partners should always trust and respect each other.

“It was clear that a social norming approach works! At the end of their project the data showed a positive change in the attitudes of all the young people who participated in terms of what is and what is not acceptable in their relationships.” Dr. Michaela Rogers, University of Salford.

You can read more about the project here.

By Grace Kelly