Brighton teenagers 'coerced and abused' in relationships

Teenagers as young as 14 are experiencing domestic violence in their first relationships, a charity said.

Rise said two thirds of 14 to 16 year olds told a survey they had experienced abuse or coercive control.

A quarter were yelled at, a third were put down or constantly checked up on and 9% had been hit, kicked, punched or slapped.

Brighton and Hove City Council is to develop a domestic violence strategy to help young people.

Rise's chief executive, Jo Gough, said there had been a 56% increase in the number of new clients from 617 to 964 in the last six months, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

She told a council meeting: "It may be there is more domestic abuse and more services.

"What we do know is the reporting process systems have got better. The police are responding better with more training."

Rise said on average 12 people per week at high risk of harm or death were seeking support from the charity, although no deaths had been reported.

Ms Gough said domestic abuse was "constant and insidious".

"Home is supposed to be a place of support and safety, a place to escape to," she said.

"Instead, home is the source of emotional shock and fear."

Jo Martindale, chief executive of the Hangleton and Knoll Project, which supports young people, said there was a need to inform and help teenagers to end the cycle of domestic abuse.

She said: "There needs to be an increasing focus on healthy relationships for young people.

"Our young women should not accept abuse and our young men learn to control their anger.

"Although it's not always gendered that way."

Brighton and Hove City Council is currently consulting with various groups and organisations across the city about its new strategy.