Self-reported violence amongst adolescents in Denmark: is alcohol a serious risk factor?

To describe the prevalence of adolescents' exposure to different types of violence (at home and outside the home) and associations between severe violence and alcohol consumption, taking account of gender and the influence of other factors.

A multimedia computer-based survey amongst a nationally representative sample of 9th grade pupils included comprehensive data on exposure to physical violence, use of alcohol and additional socio-demographic and behavioural factors. Analyses included gender disaggregated cross tabulations and logistic regressions.

Around 9.3% of girls and 12.3% of boys reported being victims of physical violence within the last 12 months. Also, 2.7% of girls and 3.5% of boys reported severe violence. Gender differences existed in place of occurrence; girls were more frequently assaulted at home, boys outside the home. Alcohol was only associated with violence exposure outside the home for boys, not girls.

About one-tenth of adolescents in Denmark reported exposure to any physical violence and 3% to severe violence during the last year. Alcohol consumption was not a risk factor for girls and only a risk factor for boys regarding violence occurring outside the home.