Mental health and experiences of violence | Youth Endowment Fund
This report published by the Youth Endowment Fund presents survey evidence on how violence and mental health are linked and explores the complex ways in which violence and fear of violence shapes young people’s lives.
Details
Most teenagers experiencing violence and mental health issues aren’t receiving treatment, with less than half of those with a diagnosed condition receiving professional help (47%). In response to lack of professional help, young people are overwhelmingly turning to online spaces and AI for advice. 53% of all 13–17-year-olds used at least one online or digital source for mental health support in the past year, including AI chatbots, highlighting how online spaces are now becoming a mainstream coping strategy for young people. With regard to young people involved in serious, 89% of victims and 92% of perpetrators used online support and 38% of victims and 44% of perpetrators used AI chatbots.
The report provides insight into how the fear of violence profoundly disrupts children’s everyday lives. The fear of violence affects nearly 4 in 10 teenagers, impacting their day-to-day lives in a wide variety of ways, such as avoiding certain locations. 90% of victims and 95% of perpetrators of serious violence stated that their daily lives were impacted, with common impacts including disrupted sleep, changes in relationships, and higher avoidance behaviour.
Commentary
For youth justice practitioners and lawyers, the findings highlight significant unmet mental health needs among children affected by violence, with many turning to online spaces and AI due to barriers to accessing or trusting professional support. While these tools may offer accessible, anonymous coping mechanisms, they should not be treated as substitutes for specialist mental health services, and there is a risk they may reinforce or exacerbate existing vulnerabilities. The report also underlines how fear of violence drives avoidance, hyper-vigilance and harmful self-protection behaviours, particularly among children involved in serious violence. Practitioners should recognise these behaviours as trauma-driven rather than risk-seeking, and ensure responses are child-first, proportionate and informed by an understanding of fear, trauma and unmet support needs.