As the Dating Without Violence project takes its first steps, our focus as a team has been on exploring what is currently known about dating violence in Finland and identifying complementary perspectives by looking at international contexts. Equally important has been gaining an understanding of the nature of Finnish discourse on violence in close relationships and the factors shaping it. These topics have been central to our repeated discussions as colleagues, aimed at building a shared knowledge base on dating violence as a phenomenon and identifying effective ways to bring attention to it.
Even before the project began, it was necessary to familiarize ourselves with the field and recognize the gaps in addressing dating violence as a problem area. While research related to the Finnish context has been scarce, it does exist. Perhaps the most significant challenge has been that, despite interesting research findings, follow-up studies have often not materialized, for reasons we can only speculate about.
However, the limited data available when preparing the Dating Without Violence project proposal suggested that focusing on boys and young men as victims of violence could be valuable. For instance:
- According to a 2009 study by the Finnish National Research Institute of Legal Policy, “Boys are more often than girls the targets of physical violence in dating relationships.”
- The EU Daphne II program study from the 2000s reported that “Among conscripts who had been in a romantic relationship, 14–17% (depending on the question) said they had been struck by their partner. Meanwhile, just over 1% reported having struck their partner.”
- A HEUNI (European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control) study from the 2000s found that among those subjected to violence by a current partner in the past 12 months, men were a slight majority. Furthermore, “among men, younger individuals were the most likely to have experienced violence, with prevalence decreasing as age increased.” The youngest age group in the study included those aged 15–24.
After the project proposal, additional materials became available, such as the Dating Violence in Finland study published by Tampere University in autumn 2023, which we thoroughly reviewed. We also examined texts and videos published on Miessakit ry’s Good Question platform, focusing on violence against men in relationships.
Finnish discourse on violence in close relationships has included significant contributions, such as the discussion in Tieteessä Tapahtuu magazine at the turn of 2012–2013. Observations about the prominence of violence against women and girls in Finnish equality policy have also provided essential context as we aim to shed light on violence targeting boys and young men.
Amid all this, it becomes clear how strongly our work is tied to existing traditions. Certain frameworks are already well-established in the fields of relationship violence research, violence prevention work, and policy—both in Finland and internationally—that influence which research questions and initiatives receive funding.
To all those interested in dating violence, we eagerly look forward to engaging with you on professional forums and sparking broader conversations on this important topic.