Young women constitute the majority of victims of GBV, yet there has been limited attention paid to the voices of young women and their experiences of gendered dynamics in relationships. As part of research project designed to address this gap in the literature on GBV, facilitated advisory groups with young women aged 15-17 years old were used to gather their attitudes and perceptions to inform the development of the research tools.
The author argues that excluding young women from participating in sensitive research due to concerns of causing distress fails to provide this cohort the opportunity to express their views. The conclusion identifies two key points, the need to involve young voices in the construction of research and the research itself when exploring attitudes on sensitive topics. Secondly, the benefit and necessity of establishing robust relationships with gatekeepers when navigating the challenges of conducting research within educational and youth settings.
