Live Fear Free

I fully support the next phase of the Welsh Government’s ‘Live Fear Free’ campaign which aims to tackle domestic abuse in young relationships. The next phase of the wider campaign against domestic abuse will be aimed specifically at 16-24 year olds, and will begin with advertising on Facebook and Google before extending to a Wales-wide poster campaign in shopping centres, clubs and student unions.

It is deeply worrying that 1 in 5 teenage girls have been assaulted by a boyfriend, and emotional abuse – through constant demeaning criticism, isolation from friends and family and control of personal appearances or finances – can be just as commonplace and equally damaging.

The Live Fear Free campaign is an important way of  engaging young people with the themes of consent and control in relationships, and raising awareness of early indications of abuse in relationships.