Young women are at a high risk of abuse in their own intimate relationships, according to Women's Aid, which is running a campaign to help them to recognise the signs.
Today, Valentine's Day, marks the first day of its three-week public awareness campaign called 'Too Into You'.
According to the organisation, which provides support to victims of domestic abuse, its research shows that one in five women aged between 18-25 have been subjected to intimate relationship abuse by a male current or former partner.
This abuse can include emotional, physical and sexual abuse.
The figure for young men is one in 11.
The organisation also found that one in three young women never told anyone about the abuse.
A newly launched Women's Aid report - 'Yes It’s Abuse: Young people's understanding of & attitudes to intimate relationship abuse' - also points to "gaps in young people's understanding of how to spot warning signs, the root causes of abuse, where to get support and how to help friends they may be worried about," according to Women's Aid's Mary Hayes.
"We need to build a national community-based collaboration involving everyone working together to increase awareness of abuse, to challenge those behaviours and attitudes that normalise and minimise abuse - but also, vitally; to model the healthy, mutual, positive and respectful relationships which are those that we aspire to for everyone in their friendships and their intimate relationships," Ms Hayes, who is 'Too Into You' Project Lead, said.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, please visit: www.rte.ie/helplines.
