Domestic violence in families with a minority ethnic background

First of all I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to open this conference on domestic violence in families with a minority ethnic background. It is an important issue that concerns us all; politicians, decision makers and support services.

I am very satisfied that Alternative to Violence has managed to get professor Nagesh Rao to come to Norway and share with us his experiences with Entertainment Education. Is this something we can use in Norway in our efforts to combat domestic violence?

There is political consensus in Norway that domestic violence is not a private matter, and that public authorities are responsible for preventing and helping to avert this kind of violence. In recent years, the Norwegian authorities have implemented a large number of measures to combat domestic violence.
The present Action Plan against Domestic Violence includes measures to improve the level of collaboration and expertise in support services, to prevent domestic violence and to provide assistance for victims of such violence. At present we are preparing a new Action Plan against Domestic Violence which will run from 2008 to 2011.

Domestic violence in families with an ethnic minority background is one main concern. Statistics from the 50 Norwegian Crisis Centres show that 56 percent of the women seeking refuge in the Crisis Centres during 2006 were of another ethnic origin than Norwegian. In 2003 the percentage was 45 percent. Although one third of these women were exposed to violence by an ethnic Norwegian husband, most experienced violence in families with a non-Norwegian ethnic background. We do not know enough what is hidden behind these, in one sense, new figures and have taken initiatives to do more research on the field.

No culture, religion or tradition can ever excuse violence in close relations. Some forms of violence in close relations are spesific to certain ethnic minority groups in Norway. Through new Action Plans against forced marriage and female genital mutilation the Government wishes to combat these spesific forms of violence.

In june this year the Government presented a new Action Plan against Forced Marriage, running from 2008 to 2011, containing 40 new and continued measures. More than 70 million NOK is allocated to this aim in the 2008 budget.

The Norwegian authorities have a history of effort, both national as well as international, to combat female genital mutilation. The work against this harmful tradition has been done through law, through information and preventive work - in cooperation with both the groups at risk and voluntary organisations. Men are more and more included in this work.

Included in our thinking is to have a focus on voilence and what I will call “traditional” masculinity. Why do some men use volience against their loved ones? And, maybe an even better focus, most men don’t. What differs us? The government has planned to present a green paper on men and gender equality next year. Men and the use of voilence will be an important subject as well has it has been one of the major concers of the male panel the ministry has etablished to help us out with the green paper as well as help us involve men in the debate of men and gender equality.

Our efforts in prevention of domestic violence include different measures aimed at different ethnic groups by clarifying Norwegian laws and norms regulating family life. This includes both non-violent upbringing in general, but also more specifically the prohibition of forced marriages and female genital mutilation.

Just a few days ago we had a public debate about corporal punishment against children. We should be very clear about this: Corporal punishment against children is prohibited, may lead to physical and psychological damage and is humiliating.

The efforts to combat domestic violence must also focus on the person committing the violent act. Punishment alone is not the right solution for violent men. Both public and private institutions offer treatment for men who commit domestic violence. The Government aims at making treatment programmes available all over the country. 

Alternative to Violence (ATV) will play an important role in fulfilling this goal. ATV has, amongst other things, started a development project called “Domestic violence and ethnicity” aimed at female victims and male perpetrators with an ethnic minority background. ATV will talk about this project later on today. The government has already strengthened the ATV financial support.

The measures developed for the treatment of domestic assaulters vary over a large scale, from low-threshold outpatient treatment focused on temper control and channelling of aggression, to extensive psychiatric treatment in the most severe cases.

The treatment and support services for the victims of domestic violence also vary according to the severity and the victims’ needs. In order to encourage more victims to contact the support services, measures are carried out with a view to increasing openness and reinforcing attitudes that condemn this kind of violence in both the support services and among the general population.

The support offered by The Family Counselling services in cases of domestic violence includes group and individual therapy for victims of domestic violence, both for women and children, couple therapy, and programmes of temper control for assaulters. Interdisciplinary cooperation with police, child welfare authorities and others is habitual on a local level.

Our Ministry has initiated a research project to survey family relations and gender equality in immigrant families. Increased knowledge in these matters will provide a better foundation for more focused measures towards families of ethnic minorities.

Finally, I wish you all the best for this important conference. Thank you to Alternative to Violence for arranging the conference and to Professor Nagesh Rao for taking the time to share with us his experiences.

Thank you for your attention.