Almost half of 16-year-olds have been sent unwanted sexually explicit pictures, photos or videos online, according to a new study.

However, just under a fifth of boys regard posting a joke or nasty comments of a sexual nature on social media as "sometimes acceptable".

This is according to responses from a sample of over 1,000 16-year-olds.

It is part of research contributing to the first Stormont strategy on ending violence against women and girls.

Northern Ireland is currently the only part of the UK without a specific strategy.

A separate but related Stormont strategy aimed at tackling domestic and sexual abuse is also being developed.

As part of the development of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) strategy, the executive office commissioned a series of questions to be put to 16-year-olds taking part in the 2022 Young Life and Times (YLT) Survey.

This is run by social policy researchers at Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast.

It includes a representative sample of 16-year-old boys and girls living in Northern Ireland.

Over 1,000 responded to 31 questions about their experiences and knowledge of "gender-based violence".

A report on their responses has just been published by the executive office, including their experience of violent acts or behaviours.

More than nine in 10 said they had experienced at least one of 18 named "violent acts and behaviours".

Those included receiving sexually explicit material, street harassment like cat-calling, physical assault or unwanted touching.

Almost half, 47%, of the 16-year-olds who took part said they had been sent sexually explicit material online, and 30% said they had been pressured to share an intimate photo or video.

Almost 40% said they had received an unwanted intimate photo or video.

A third said they had experienced unwanted touching, hugging or kissing and more than half said they had been physically assaulted - hit, punched, pushed or slapped.

Girls were more likely to experience unwanted comments about their physical appearance or being sent unwanted sexually explicit pictures.