“I went to the doctor for support for my son, in the first instance, and then he attacked me in front of the GP, who realised the extent of what we were living with, and he tried to make referrals. He tried to refer me to Women’s Aid, but because Jack was under 18, they wouldn’t work with us, because it’s not classed as domestic abuse. But that’s exactly what it was.”
Some organisations call it “child-to-parent abuse”, “child-to-parent violence” or “filial violence.” The domestic abuse charity RESPECT defines it as the dynamic where a young person, eight to 18 years old, engages in repeated abusive behaviour towards a parent or adult carer. It might be physical, emotional, economic or sexual. Or it can be coercive control. In the majority of cases (over 80 per cent) severe violence is targeted at the mother or female caregiver. According to figures released in December 2025 from the Metropolitan Police, the number of violent offences involving an adolescent attacking their parents or step-parents has increased by more than 60 per cent in the past decade.
When we talk about it, because it is such a taboo, people feel uncomfortable. Parents – especially mums – are already blamed for everything, so when something like this happens they feel ashamed, as if they’re a terrible parent who has failed. There’s also so much grief, because society tells you what typical family life should look like, and what a good parent is, and when the one person you love unconditionally is hurting you, it’s horrific.”
There are signs in schools and in the community that youth violence is more widespread than many realise, too. According to Met Police figures from 2025, 7,512 children aged between 10 and 14 were suspected of violent crime, including knife offences, in 2023 – a rise of 38 per cent from 2020.
Just a few paragraphs from quite a long article https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/love-child-afraid-kill-me-4181559
Can also be read in full at https://archive.is/n9s0s
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I was going to add it to a thread about this from about a year ago as it seems nothing much has changed in terms of support.
If anyone knows the link to the older thread, can you post like as I think that various support services were posted in response.
But as with many articles like this the stats are vague. ie are the police figures mainly reflecting boys or are girls also becoming more violent.
But very sad and scary situation.