Working with young people and within civil society organisations means building communities founded on mutual respect.

Unfortunately, however, we have observed, even within these organisations themselves, that awareness of issues relating to respect for gender identity and the prevention of violence is not always adequate.

Violence is not only physical.

It can often manifest itself in attitudes such as inappropriate comments or sexist jokes which, if ignored, undermine collective well-being. For this reason, through our European network IGNet, we have launched a process of reflection and action to develop guidelines and training activities to prevent and manage these situations.

Our aim is not to cause alarm, but to encourage collective reflection: acknowledging the problem is the first step towards safer environments.

Finding evidences, seeking ideas

Through an online survey conducted by the IGNet Network in eight European and non-European countries, we gathered the experiences of 668 youth workers, volunteers and participants on the issue of gender-based violence (GBV).

Although not statistically representative, the results provide a useful snapshot for reflecting on prevention and management practices, revealing a marked discrepancy between stated values and the operational tools available.

The overall picture shows an initially positive perception of organisational commitment, with average ratings above 7 out of 10.

However, this figure masks an internal divide: volunteers and occasional participants express a more favourable view (median 9.0), whilst paid staff and coordinators, who are familiar with internal mechanisms, are more critical (median 8.0). This discrepancy indicates that the good intentions and positive atmosphere perceived from the outside do not always translate into robust and consistently applied protocols.

Knowledge of the founding documents dedicated to GBV is very limited. Only 40% of regular volunteers are aware of a specific policy, with a further 15% indicating that it is ‘hidden’ within general documents. A worrying 21% answer “I don’t know”, highlighting shortcomings in internal communication.

The situation is even weaker regarding statutes: only around a fifth of respondents are aware of clauses addressing the gender pay gap or promoting gender equality in governing bodies. This suggests that the issue is rarely integrated into the organisation’s foundations.

Critical points

The main critical point is mandatory training. Only 30% of the total sample state that all staff and volunteers receive it. The percentages plummet among activists (11%) and occasional volunteers (14%), and reach barely 36% among paid staff. This training shortfall largely explains the subsequent difficulties in recognising and managing cases.

The role of leadership appears inconsistent: less than half of respondents (48%) state that the issue is frequently addressed, whilst for 35% it is almost absent from internal discussions. At the same time, reporting procedures, although stated to exist by 47% of the sample, are considered ineffective by 22% and unknown to a further 19%. Only a quarter describe them as “well communicated to everyone”, making reporting an uncertain process that discourages victims and witnesses.

During activities, discussions about GBV are more frequent with young people (56%) than with adults (44%), reflecting the mistaken belief that it is less necessary to speak explicitly about respect and boundaries with the latter.

Data on the practical handling of cases reveal a system in crisis. 23% of respondents were aware of incidents reported internally in the last two years, but a significant 33% answered “I don’t know”, indicating possible gaps in transparency. 31% of participants experienced or witnessed incidents during an activity. In between 38% and 44% of cases, these incidents occur more frequently in international contexts, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive mediation tools.

The spectrum of violence is broad. In addition to physical (25%) and sexual (31%) forms, verbal violence (75%)—often trivialised—and psycho-social violence (44%)—subtle and harmful—are predominant. Digital violence is reported in 19% of cases.

The crisis is evident in the reporting and response phase. 44% of incidents experienced or witnessed are not reported at all. The main reasons are mistrust of the organisation (38%) and a lack of awareness that it constituted violence (38%), followed by fear of retaliation (25%) and ignorance of procedures (19%). Even when a report is made, a response is perceived in only 56% of cases, and often only a partial one. In a worrying 31% of cases, no action is taken at all. Furthermore, an official policy is applied in only a third of the incidents handled.

When asked what would be needed to improve the situation, the responses were clear and concrete. The top priority (67%) is clearer, safer and more confidential reporting procedures. This is followed by calls for better and more extensive mandatory training (55%), the formal presentation of a code of conduct at the start of every activity (49%), a more in-depth introductory discussion with participants (43%) and the appointment of a dedicated point of contact for every activity (37%). Significantly, only 12% call for greater commitment from leadership, indicating that the demand is not for declarations of principle, but for operational tools.

In light of this, the report offers useful guidance on developing simple and adaptable tools such as templates for policies and protocols, establishing mandatory basic training online, defining and training a ‘Focal Point’ for each project, creating standard materials for effective introductory sessions, and strengthening specific preparation for international contexts by incorporating modules on intercultural mediation and differences in the perception of boundaries.

It is precisely on these aspects that we now wish to focus, involving other organisations to bridge the gap between intentions and practice through structured, simple and concrete interventions, such as those suggested by respondents to our questionnaire.

Next steps to take together

We are working on organising, as part of our annual work plan, a meeting between organisations interested in these issues, to be held in autumn 2026. If your organisation might also be interested, please contact us by sending an email to gbv-prevention@informa-giovani.net for information on the next steps to take together.

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