Survey of domestic violence among young adolescents in Slovenia.

Objective: It has been estimated that domestic violence is wide spread in Slovenia, but the lack of empirical data of domestic violence prevalence and its consequences, aggravate the precise knowledge on the extension of the phenomenon. The aim of the study was to assess the extensiveness and characteristics of domestic violence in the group of Slovenian adolescents.
Subjects: 1297 young adolescents (age 13-15 years) from 65 Slovenian primary schools participated in the study.
Methods: A questionnaire for domestic violence experience and help seeking screening, McMaster Family Functioning Scale, Buss/Perry Aggression Questionnaire and Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) have been applied.
Results: 18.7% of participants experienced violence in their own family (38.3% males and 61.7% females). Different patterns of verbal violence, irritability and indirect violence predominated. In the most cases of domestic violence the adolescent's parents were involved as perpetrators and their close relatives (brothers, sisters). Victims displayed a significant profile that could be linked with their violence experience: dysfunctional family environmental, aggressiveness, anxiety, depression, anger and posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Conclusions: Presented study confirmed that the phenomenon of domestic violence and abused adolescents is quite widespread in Slovenia and that in the future more attention on research and policy making level should be given to this phenomenon. Particularly the perceived gap between attitudes towards support and the actually given help could be the orientation for developing a better prevention strategies and screening procedures for domestic violence. A proper intervention and protection of the adolescent victims could effectively prevent the outburst of depression, suicide, behavioural problems and, spreading the aggressive behaviour patterns to the future generations.