| Abstract [eng] |
Introduction. Every year, there is a noticeable increase in reports of domestic violence (Lithuanian Department of Statistics, 2025), yet up to 58% of victims do not seek help (SADM, 2024). Due to the hidden nature of domestic violence, it is important to determine who, besides victims, may report an incident of violence. Although bystander reporting has been widely studied, the joint influence of situational and individual factors remains unclear. The aim of this study is to determine how situational and individual factors are related to young adults’ perceived seriousness of the situation and their decision to report possible domestic violence to law enforcement. Methodology. The study included 251 participants (82.07% women; Mage = 23,56, SD = 2.66), recruited online via Facebook groups and snowball sampling method. Instruments included four hypothetical scenarios, measures of perceived seriousness and the decision to report the incident, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (adapted from Laurinaitytė et al., 2021), and the Scale of Trust in Law Enforcement (Valickas et al., 2013). Results. Findings showed that clearer information about a potential violent situation increases both perceived seriousness and the likelihood of reporting to law enforcement. Higher trust in law enforcement strengthened the relationship between the perceived seriousness and the decision to report. Discussion: The results highlight the importance of awareness and trust in law enforcement in promoting reporting behavior among young adults. Future research should include more diverse samples and further examine constructs such as attitudes toward violence and personal experiences with the criminal justice system. |
