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Interviewees in England explicitly included racism in their
definition of “violence”. Several young people described
what they considered to be racist violence in the context
of contact with police officers – they described police using
racist language, swearing at family members and stop and
searches on black children and young people.
Young people in the Netherlands commented that measures
such as solitary confinement or physical restraint could
be regarded as forms of violence, especially if applied
unlawfully or for too long. Others felt that these were not
forms of violence but necessary measures. One young
person said that he didn’t consider them to be violence any
more [emphasis added] as he was used to it.
Interviewees in the Netherlands also explained that young
people in custody may be sexually abused by staff. This
was not raised as an issue by interviewees in any of the
other countries.
Throughout the discussions, some interviewees talked about
violence being normal – both in custody and outside. They
talked about growing up in a household where there was lots
of violence, becoming used to it, and being violent to others:
It [violence] just is. It’s just normal. Like you get used to
it and it’s just like you get used to everybody fighting
and disagreeing and you just get used to it so it’s normal.
(Female, 13, England)
isolation in basements) by staff in custodial settings. Several
also described experiencing violence when in contact with
police officers – both in terms of physical force and other
forms of threatening and intimidating treatment. Section
4.3 of this chapter presents the views and experiences of
young people about the use of force by staff in the custodial
workforce and in the police force.
I learned at home to be so violent. My
father beat my mother very often and I
was witness to those scenes. I shouldn’t
have seen that. I grew up in a violent
environment. Violence is what I saw every
day at my home. This is what I learnt. I can
say that I am here [in custody] because of
my parents.
Male, 16, Romania
This view was not universally shared – some interviewees
felt that just because a young person experienced violence
when they were growing up, this did not mean that violence
was normal or acceptable for them.
In relation to violence against children in custody, it was
clear that violence occurred in all custodial settings in the
five countries, both between young people and between
staff and young people: ‘[Violence can be] from staff to
kids, kids to kids and kids to staff’ (Male, 15, England). All
interviewees described violent incidents between their
peers and between staff and young people. The majority of
the young people interviewed in the partner countries had
experience of the use of force and other forms of degrading
treatment (such as strip searching, solitary confinement or
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