Transcript Document 7516778

Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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
)
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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 %.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
National Action Plan to combat domestic violence
•
•
•
Organizational framework for the work of combating domestic
violence in Norway
The responsibility for coordinating the Government’s 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 crossministerial 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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
National Action Plan to combat domestic violence
The Action Plan to combat violence against women (20002003)
The Norwegian government’s first action plan (20002003)
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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 exhusbands 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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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, women’s shelters and health care. In addition, the
commission has discussed questions concerning children as
witnesses to violence.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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 children’s
perspective, the new one has given children a main focus.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
National Action Plan to combat domestic violence
• A survey is carried out of the number of women who are turned
away by the women’s 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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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 person’s 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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
National Action Plan to combat domestic violence
Ҥ 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 spouse’s 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.
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
National Action Plan to combat domestic violence
For any further information please contact
Senioradvisor Line Nersnæs
Ministry of Justice and the Police
Norway
Tel. + 47 22 24 54 31
E – mail: [email protected]
Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police
The Minister
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