Video recordings of ‘Boys at the Crossroads’ Conference now available

Three teen boys resting their arms on a graffiti-marked wall and staring at the camera.

6 April 2023

Video recordings of talks and workshops from the ‘Boys at the Crossroads’ Conference held in Bristol last October are now available to view online.

The conference, organised by researchers from the University of Bristol, in partnership with Bristol Young Men’s Network, brought together professionals from different disciplines, including youth work, social work, education, academia, health and mental health, to discuss how to prevent and reduce harms from violence directed at or perpetrated by young men.

Men’s violence is one of the biggest single health risks facing women, girls and people of marginalised genders. Meanwhile, suicide is the biggest killer of men under 40, and men and boys also experience violence, including sexual harms, though overwhelmingly perpetrated by other men.

Men and boys are also more likely to be criminalised, experience homelessness and drug dependence and are less likely to seek help than their peers raised as girls. For boys and young men of colour, working class, trans boys and gender non-conforming people these harms and risks can be magnified.

This multidisciplinary conference provided a space to share, showcase, troubleshoot and reflect on the inspiring work going on locally, regionally and nationally around this topic and offered a space to meet, network and connect with people engaged in this crucial work.

Dr Nathan Eisenstadt, Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol, said: “The conference was a resounding success and real demonstration of the deep commitment among practitioners, academics and activists to come together for the sometimes challenging conversations on how to address these complex issues. I was really inspired by what I heard at the conference and hope people will continue to be inspired watching the videos.”

Please note that sensitive topics such as self-harm, suicide, violence against women and girls, sexuality and pornography were discussed. If you are affected by any of the content in the videos, support is available from the organisations listed below.

Watch the videos on YouTube.

For more information about the Boys at the Crossroads conference, contact phc-info@bristol.ac.uk.

Sources of support and help

UK:

Samaritans – 116 123 (24 hrs)
International: IASP - https://www.iasp.info/crisis-centres-helplines/

Other, UK:

Get help if you experiencing domestic abuse: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
Get help to stop being abusive in relationships: https://respectphoneline.org.uk/
Get help if you have experienced sexual abuse: https://sexualabusesupport.campaign.gov.uk/#support

Further information

About Bristol Young Men's Network

Bristol Young Men’s Network was formed in 2020 to link-up practitioners, academics and young people working with boys and young men. Straddling the terrains of young men's mental health and engaging men and boys in violence prevention, they meet regularly to share and troubleshoot practice and research in an informal and supportive setting.

Members and conference organisers: Off the Record Bristol, Kooth, TIGER Coop, Creative Youth Network, NYCE, University of Bristol Centre for Academic Primary Care and The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.

The conference was made possible with funding from the Brigstow Institute, Ideas Exchange stream.

About the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol

The Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) at the University of Bristol is a leading centre for primary care research in the UK, one of nine forming the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. It sits within Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health research and teaching.