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Together against domestic violence

In the North a fruitful cooperation has developed across the Norwegian-Russian border. Experts from both countries work together to fight domestic violence, with KUN as project leader.

Domestic violence is a social problem in Norway and Russia alike, albeit in varying degrees. Each year an average of 10-12 women are killed in Norway by a male partner or close male relation. In Russia, the similar official figures amount to a total of staggering 14 000. Many regard domestic violence as something which belongs to the private domain and as a taboo.

How can society fight domestic violence, which is mostly directed against women? And how can one achieve justice to women exposed to violence?

The goal of the project JUWOBA (Justice to Women Exposed to Violence in the Barents Region) was to identify good, institutionalized measures against domestic violence, with a special focus on women.

The Norwegian and Russian societies have different measures to ensure justice for victims of violence. Russia legislated the victims’ right to be present during the whole trial earlier than Norway, while Norway has measures like specialized receiving units for sexual abuse and state compensation for victims of violence, as well as domestic violence police coordinators in all districts.

Will the same measures be effective in Norway and in Russia? Or does one need different approaches to the problem in the two countries?
Through the JUWOBA project experience from different work fields related to domestic violence were discussed across the borders.

Russian and Norwegian experts from the judicial system, medicine and the police presented their respective work fields. They focused on their own practice and experience, and identified the challenges for further work in the field. This project helped to develop and strengthen a Norwegian-Russian network in the fight against domestic violence.

Several seminars were arranged during the project period, both in Norway and Russia. KUN’s project partners were the Nora centre IKS, Lillehammer University College, and crisis centers in Murmansk, Apatity, Archangelsk and Sortavala.

“At least we are no longer completely alone in addressing this subject; legislative organs are already seeing the problem in a different perspective”. (Russian crisis centre employee ).

Publisert: 05.10.11 14:37