ABSTRACT

This chapter talks about the nature of the abusive behaviours and the characteristics of individual young people behind these statistics. It demonstrates the interconnected and sometimes overlapping nature of forms of peer-on-peer abuse which, to date, have largely been explored and responded to independently of one another. The chapter identifies that while some young people who have abused, and/or have been abused by, their peers have particular experiences or characteristics in common, there is no single feature that unites them all. In recognition of the relationship between different forms of peer-on-peer abuse, some scholars have produced edited collections that explore 'peer-violence' or 'interpersonal violence' in the round. Young people's experiences of physical abuse often feature elements of emotionally abusive behaviours. International studies have identified manifestations of sexual behaviours displayed by young people towards peers that cut across Simon Hackett's continuum.