National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• National Action Plan as a tool to combat domestic
  violence
• The Norwegian experience
• Extent of domestic violence in Norway
• Organizational framework for the work of
  combating domestic violence in Norway
• The Action Plan to combat domestic violence (
  2000 2003 )
• The Action Plan to combat domestic violence (
  2004 2007 )

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• National Action Plan as a tool to combat domestic
  violence
• Translate political will into practical and
  appropriate action.
• As a tool to put domestic violence on the agenda
• As a tool to coordinate the governments activity
  to combat domestic violence
• Make the agency/ministry/service which are
  responsible to carry out each measure visible
• Make a system of the efforts to combat domestic
  violence
• As a tool to generate funding

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Establish an interdepartmental group to
  coordinate and implement the the activities from
  the action plan
• Establish a coordinating position in one of the
  involved ministries
• Establish routines for reporting on activities to
  reduce domestic violence

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• The Norwegian experience
• National Plan of Action to combat violence
  against woman
• ( 2000 2003 )
• National Plan of Action to combat domestic
  violence ( 2004 2007 )
• National Plan of Action against forced marriages
• National Plan of Action against female genital
  mutilation

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Extent of domestic violence in Norway
• The extent of domestic violence against women and
  children is not known exactly. This applies to
  abuse of women, physical abuse of children,
  children as witnesses to violence and child
  sexual abuse. However, a number of studies
  clearly indicate that such violence is far more
  widespread than initially assumed.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

•   Nationwide study
• In May 2005 the results of a nationwide survey
  on domestic violence was presented. Norwegian
  Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR)
  conducted the survey. The survey was designed as
  a mail survey, and the response rate amounted to
  59.4 . The nationwide representative sample
  constituted 4618 respondents of men and women
  aged 20 54 years.
•  
• In the survey among 2143 ever-partnered woman
  580 (27.1 )- reported any violence or threats
  during current or former relationship. The
  proportion over ever-partnered woman reporting
  severe partner violence (attempted strangulation,
  use of weapons, beating head against an object or
  wall) was 9.3 .

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• A week to count
• In 2003 and 2005 the Ministry of Justice carried
  out a mapping the confirmed the seriousness of
  the problem. The project A week to count
  counted the number of referrals related to
  domestic violence to several services nationwide.
  The project showed that domestic violence is
  still a great problem and challenge in Norway.
  The registration is the first of its kind among
  the Nordic countries. A total of 285 different
  offices and units participated in the project.
  The purpose of the project is to provide a "snap
  shot" of domestic violence. This registration is
  not scientifically based and is not extensive in
  order to count how many on an annual basis is
  affected by domestic violence.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Results
• The Ministry of Justice and the Police's
  registration shows that more than a thousand
  enquiries were made by someone experiencing
  violence from someone in the family or someone
  they have a close relationship to.
• About 2000 children were in the same week
  reported as witnesses or affected by threats or
  violence from someone they have in their
  immediate family environment.
• Most of the children were relatively young many
  were under 7 years old.
• The perpetrators were mostly men. In about 85 of
  the cases the perpetrator was a man.
• In about 60 of the cases physical violence was
  reported, threats and other types of harassment
  occurred in 40 of the cases.
•  

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Organizational framework for the work of
  combating domestic violence in Norway
• The responsibility for coordinating the
  Governments efforts to combat domestic violence
  lies with the Ministry of Justice and the Police,
  and a coordinating position was established in
  the ministry in 2000.
• Domestic violence cannot be combated with the use
  of criminal policy instruments alone. An
  effective fight against violence requires close
  cooperation with other central government
  authorities with responsibility for health,
  social welfare and gender equality issues. To
  meet the need for coordination at central
  government level, a cross-ministerial working
  group has been set up. This group consists of
  representatives of the Ministries of Health,
  Social Affairs, Children and Family Affairs, and
  Justice and the Police. As well as ensuring the
  implementation of action plans, the group draws
  up proposals for future efforts to combat
  domestic violence.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• The Action Plan to combat violence against women
  (2000-2003)
• The Norwegian governments first action plan
  (2000-2003) to combat violence against women was
  concluded in November 2003. The plan was a joint
  project between four ministries the Ministry of
  Justice, Social Affairs, Health, and Children
  and Family Affairs. The Ministry of Justice
  performed a coordinating function for the work
  involved. The programme consisted of a wide
  range of activities to reduce domestic violence
  and to improve services to victims.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Focus of the Action plan
• Focus was directed at improving existing measures
  and achieving enhanced competence among all
  actors. This included competence-enhancement and
  improved networking at the local level between
  all responsible actors such as police, social
  welfare services, childcare services, staff from
  shelters, etc. Improved research and routines for
  registration of information were also in focus.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Measures
• Security alarms - In 1997, a project was launched
  to equip all women in Norway who have been
  violently treated or threatened by their
  ex-husbands or ex-common law husbands or live-in
  boyfriends, with security alarms. While the
  first alarms could only be used in the home,
  alarms currently in use are part of a mobile
  system based on a universal positioning system of
  great accuracy. The alarms give immediate access
  to the police in an emergency. The alarm project,
  issued through the police authorities, became
  permanent in 1999, and is fully financed by the
  State.
•  
• Police coordinators - To help police in their
  efforts to combat domestic violence, a position
  as family violence coordinator was established in
  every police district in Norway in July 2002. The
  coordinators have undergone special training and
  a locally adapted handbook has been developed to
  guide their work.
•  

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Competence Centre for Aid to Victims of Violence
  - A competence centre with government funding was
  established in 1996. Its mandate was to
  disseminate information on violence among
  professionals and to provide education and
  strengthen competence in the field. Since 2004,
  the centre has permanently become a part of a new
  National Centre of Competence on Violence and
  Traumatic Stress, established in January 2004.
•  
• Commission on Violence against Women - In August
  2001, the Norwegian government established a
  Commission on Violence against Women. The
  commission submitted its final report in December
  2003. According to its terms of reference, the
  final report from the commission contains an
  overview of issues relating to violence against
  women, proposals concerning the legal system,
  social services, womens shelters and health
  care. In addition, the commission has discussed
  questions concerning children as witnesses to
  violence.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• The Action Plan to combat domestic violence 2004
  2007
•     Based on the good experience gained through
  utilizing a plan of action as a tool for
  strengthening the work to combat domestic
  violence, the Norwegian government launched a new
  plan of action for the period 2004-2007 in June
  2004.  
• While the previous action plan all but lacked a
  childrens perspective, the new one has given
  children a main focus.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• The plan has four main goals
•  
• Reinforcing the interactive competence and
  knowledge of assistance services
• Increasing the visibility of violence in intimate
  relationships and improving the prevention of
  violence through behavioural change
• Securing victims of violence in intimate
  relationships the necessary help, protection and
  assistance
• Breaking down the spiral of violence by
  reinforcing forms of treatment available to
  perpetrators of violence

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Measures
• Financial support will be given to the production
  of an animated film Sinna Mann (Angry Man).
  This film will, for example, be used in
  conversations with children and adults about
  domestic violence. Advice on how to use the film
  will be prepared. 
• The Government will draw up an information
  strategy aiming to break down taboos and increase
  knowledge about and awareness of domestic
  violence. The project A week to count is parts
  of this strategy were the aim is to gain public
  awareness about domestic violence.  
• A pilot project is initiated, whereby routine
  questions are asked about violence during
  maternity check-ups. The purpose of the project
  is to develop methods to uncover violence. The
  project will include routines and measures for
  cooperation and follow-up of any violence that is
  discovered.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• A survey is carried out of the number of women
  who are turned away by the womens shelters and
  the reasons for this. The survey will form the
  basis for an assessment of suitable measures for
  abused women with special problems, such as a
  mental illness or drug or alcohol-related
  problems.
•  
• The health services that are available at local
  level to victims of violence and rape will be
  strengthened.
• Measures will be prepared and implemented with a
  view to building up the health services
  capabilities as regards examinations, securing
  evidence and documentation in rape cases.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• The work of the police on domestic violence will
  be strengthened.
• Further development of the police family violence
  coordinator scheme.
• The statistical tools used by the police to
  register family violence will be enhanced.
• Violence alarms, restraining orders, temporary
  accommodation, and special protection of personal
  data are some of the forms of police protection
  that may be used in cases of domestic violence.
  In extraordinary cases, when other protective
  measures are deemed to be inadequate, permission
  may be given to use a fictive identity.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• The Government will attach importance to the work
  of preventing and combating domestic violence by
  increasing the focus on treatment of the
  perpetrators. These efforts will be directed at
  the persons who use violence and at their
  violence problems.
• The Government will contribute to the systematic
  development of support and treatment services for
  perpetrators of violence and abusers. Its
  objective is to prevent the use of violence and
  ensure that help is available as close as
  possible to home or work.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• In 2006 the government established a Commission
  on rape and sexual abuse. Rape mainly affects
  women and represents a particular challenge to
  the legal system and to the health services. The
  Government finds it a matter for concern that
  both the frequency of reported cases and the
  number of cases that result in a conviction are
  low. Furthermore, the quality, content and
  organization of the health services that are
  available to victims of rape vary considerably
  from one part of Norway to another. The
  Commission are supposed to propose measures to
  ensure that victims of rape, will to a greater
  degree, be met by a support and legal system with
  knowledge and expertise about their special,
  vulnerable situation.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• In 2007 the government will carry out a pilot
  project concerning the use of satellite tracking
  technology ( GPS ) to monitor offenders violating
  ban on visits ( restraining orders )
• Similar projects have been carried out in Spain,
  USA and Great Britain.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Legal framework
• From 1. of January 2006, domestic violence is a
  specific offence in Norway. Violent attacks in
  the private sphere come under the provisions of
  the Penal Code article 219 .
• In 1988, unconditional prosecution was introduced
  in cases of domestic violence. A criminal case
  may be brought before the court, even if the
  woman withdraws the formal report.
• It has been ruled that the provision regarding
  free legal aid for abused women, includes women
  subjected to domestic violence from spouses and
  cohabitants, as well as prostitutes and pimps.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• Assaulted and sexually abused women are protected
  against repeated violence from the abuser. In an
  amendment, January 1 1995 to the Criminal
  Procedure Act ( 222a), a person can be
  prohibited from entering a specific area,
  following, visiting or otherwise contacting
  another person ( restraining order ). This can be
  done if there is specific reason to believe that
  the person will commit a criminal act against or
  otherwise violate the other persons right to be
  left peacefully alone. If a ban pursuant to
  section 222a of the Criminal Procedure Act on
  visiting another person is violated, the person
  violating the ban, if certain conditions are met,
  is arrested and remanded in custody.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• The Criminal Procedure Act ( 22a Chapter 17 a
  regarding ban on visits etc was changed and
  revised in 2002 and 2003 on 10 January 2003,
  changes in the rules regulating ban on visits
  took effect. The changes are meant inter alia to
  provide better protection for persons exposed to
  violence from others in their own household.
  Section 222 of the Norwegian Criminal Procedure
  Act provides clear legal authority for
  prohibiting a person subject to such a ban from
  staying in his own home.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

•   219. Any person who by threats, duress,
  deprivation of liberty, violence or any other
  wrong grossly or repeatedly maltreats
• a)     his or her former or present spouse,
• b)     his or her former or present spouses kin
  in direct line of descent,
• c)      his or her kin in direct line of ascent,
• d)     any person in his or her household, or
• e)     any person in his or her care
• shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not
  exceeding three years.
• If the maltreatment is gross or the aggrieved
  person dies or sustains considerable harm to body
  or health as a result of the treatment, the
  penalty shall be imprisonment for a term not
  exceeding six years. In deciding whether the
  maltreatment is gross, particular importance
  shall be attached to whether it has endured for a
  long time and whether such circumstances as are
  referred to in section 232 are present.

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National Action Plan to combat domestic violence

• For any further information please contact
• Senioradvisor Line Nersnæs
• Ministry of Justice and the Police
• Norway
• Tel. [phone]
• E mail line.narsnes_at_jd.dep.no

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