Summary

Background

The Safe and Young (Trygg og Ung ) study is a nationwide survey conducted by the Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS) in collaboration with Oslo Economics. The study targets youth aged 12–16 years and primarily aims to map their experiences of hate-related harassment, sexual abuse, violence, and other potential criminal acts. It also examines their concerns about victimization and explores how such experiences are connected to health, quality of life, and feelings of safety. The study builds on the National Crime Survey (Løvgren et al., 2022)—which collects comparable data from older youth and adults—and incorporates methodologies and insights from the UEVO study (Hafstad and Augusti, 2019).

Method

The study is a cross-sectional survey with a population sample drawn based on geography, school size, and the schools’ average scores on national reading tests. The final sample consisted of 6,721 middle school students recruited from schools across Norway. The students completed a digital questionnaire during school hours, which included questions about background information (gender, age, place of birth, socioeconomic conditions), experiences of violence both inside and outside the home (physical, psychological, and sexual), concerns about crime, non-sexual harassment, and property crimes (theft, fraud, identity theft, and robbery). In addition, the study mapped health, quality of life, and experiences seeking help. Most questions concerned events that had occurred in the past 12 months, but some (e.g., neglect and physical or psychological violence in the home) addressed experiences throughout childhood.

Ethical considerations were central to the design of the study. Participants provided independent consent to participate, without parental approval, in accordance with Section 17 of the Norwegian Health Research Act. Measures were in place to ensure that youth who needed support before, during, or after participating could easily access help. Additionally, a webinar was held prior to the study, giving participating schools an opportunity to receive detailed information about the research and its implementation. Information sheets containing the same details as the webinar were also distributed to all participating schools.

The survey questions were formulated with the understanding that youth do not necessarily have the same knowledge as adults about what constitutes a criminal act. At the same time, many forms of victimization exist in a gray area between what is punishable by law and what is not. To capture these experiences, the study adopted a broader definition of victimization than what is outlined in the legal framework. Incidents that may not necessarily be criminal but could be perceived as harmful or distressing by youth were included. Such incidents are not referred to as crimes in the report.

Results

The findings show that a significant proportion of youth report experiencing violence and neglect in the home, hate-related harassment, identity theft, property crimes, and sexual harassment and abuse.

Exposure to neglect and violence in the home during childhood

Several respondents reported neglect, with 9% of girls and 8% of boys indicating this. A total of 19% of girls and 9% of boys reported experiencing psychological violence in the home, while 2% of girls and 1% of boys reported experiencing severe physical violence in the home.

Concerns about crime

Among the respondents, concerns about digital harassment were the most common, with 14% reporting this. Ten percent of the participants felt somewhat or very unsafe in their own neighborhood at night. A larger proportion of girls (15%) compared to boys (5%) reported feeling unsafe in their neighborhood during evening hours. Forty-five percent of the youth reported planning when and where to go to avoid crime.

Non-sexual harassment in the past year

Youth are also exposed to incidents that may not necessarily be considered crimes. Non-sexual harassment was among the most frequently reported experiences, with 71% of girls and 53% of boys reporting it. The youth described incidents ranging from repeated comments, teasing, and degrading treatment to more severe incidents such as physical harassment. Peers—both those known to the individual and strangers—were identified as the most common perpetrators, while a smaller proportion reported being harassed by an adult. Approximately 20% of the sample, stated that their experiences of harassment were related to hate speech targeting their ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disabilities.

Identity theft and property crimes in the past year

A relatively large proportion of youth (25% of girls and 18% of boys) reported experiencing property crimes such as theft, fraud, identity theft, or robbery. Girls were particularly vulnerable to theft, which in some cases included the loss of small or seemingly insignificant items. Most incidents involved losses valued at less than NOK 500, but a significant proportion reported losses exceeding NOK 1 000.

Violence and Harassment Outside the Home in the Past Year

Many youth also reported experiences of physical violence outside the home. A total of 27% of girls and 36% of boys reported incidents of less severe violence, such as hair-pulling or pinching. Meanwhile, 18% of girls and 25% of boys reported experiencing severe physical violence, such as being kicked, punched with a fist, hit with a hard object, or being beaten up. Sexual harassment and abuse are also prevalent, particularly among girls. Twenty-three percent of girls and 8% of boys stated that they had been subjected to digital sexual harassment or abuse in the past year. This includes incidents such as receiving unsolicited nude or sexualized images or having sexualized videos or images of themselves shared with others without consent. Digital sexual harassment and abuse were the most commonly reported forms of sexual victimization in this sample. In comparison, 15% of girls and 8% of boys reported experiencing physical sexual harassment or abuse from peers. Physical sexual harassment or abuse by an adult was reported by 2% of girls and 1% of boys. More severe forms of sexual harassment and abuse, particularly those involving adult perpetrators, are classified as criminal offenses.

Particularly Vulnerable Groups

Certain groups stand out as particularly vulnerable. Youth with disabilities report a higher prevalence of violence and harassment compared to others. Youth who identify as neither male nor female also report consistently higher levels of victimization. Similarly, youth from low-income families are more vulnerable. After adjusting for other risk factors, experiences of neglect and violence in the home are strongly associated with victimization outside the home.

Underreporting of Victimization

A recurring finding is that youth rarely share their experiences with parents, friends, or professionals, and very few incidents are reported to the police. This means that much of the victimization youth experience remains invisible to the justice system and support services. It is also important to emphasize that youth do not always know where the boundary lies between “ordinary” experiences and criminal acts. This is particularly true for situations such as fighting or teasing, which may often be considered a normal part of growing up but can, in some cases, involve serious violence and severe harassment. The same applies to certain forms of sexual harassment in peer relationships and digital spaces.

It is also worth noting that the study asked about incidents that occurred in the past year (2024). Other research has shown that it can take a long time for someone to disclose experiences of violence or abuse. As a result, some youth may not have been able to fully articulate or disclose their recent experiences.

Health and Quality of Life

Overall, the youth who participated in the study reported relatively few health problems. However, there is a clear link between victimization, potential criminal acts, and reported health and quality of life. Those who reported victimization were more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression, physical health complaints, and reduced self-reported quality of life. These findings align with a larger body of research showing that adverse childhood and youth experiences are associated with both immediate and long-term physical and mental health problems.

Conclusion

The Safe and Young study provides extensive knowledge about youth experiences with violence, non-sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and other potential criminal acts in Norway. The findings reveal that:

• Victimization is relatively widespread and involves many different types of experiences.
• Youth report the highest levels of victimization related to physical violence, property crimes, and sexual harassment and abuse on the internet in the past year.
• Girls report higher levels of victimization than boys, although boys report more severe physical violence in the past year.
• Youth with disabilities, those who do not identify as male or female, youth from low-income families, and those engaging in various forms of risky behavior are particularly vulnerable to victimization.
• Many incidents remain hidden because youth do not share their experiences or report them to authorities.
• Victimization is associated with both mental and physical health problems and reduced quality of life.

The Safe and Young study highlights the need for preventive measures that take into account the specific experiences and perspectives of youth when addressing victimization and potential criminal acts. Support services and interventions that make it easier for youth to share their experiences are crucial. It is particularly challenging to draw clear boundaries between criminal acts and other forms of victimization in youth experiences, as there is often an overlap between less severe and more serious victimization. This underscores the necessity of broad preventive efforts across sectors, including justice, health, education, and child and family services. Victimization among youth must also be understood in relation to health and well-being, and more knowledge about long-term consequences is needed.

The full report in Norwegian can be read and downloaded here

Techbnical report (in Norwegian) can be read and downloaded here.