'KVINNORJOUREN' TOLD IMMIGRANTS TO BREAK SILENCE ON DOMESTIC ABUSE

Experts from the Swedish Movement for Women’s Shelters (Kvinnorjouren) have told women immigrants to report cases of domestic violence to the Agency, which will in turn put all hands on deck to help solve these problems with no cost involved.

Regina Ädelsgörd, a representative from 'Kvinnorjouren' - the Swedish name for the Agency - visited Humanus Education Centre on Wednesday April 3, where she and her colleague, Veronica Adelsgård met a good number of immigrants to discuss among other things some of the challenges women are faced with especially with regards to decision making and harasment by their husbands.

In this country we have all the laws protecting you as a woman. You are not obliged to face violence at home, no matter what your condition. We have to break the silence, said Regina.

"Since the inception of the Movement in 1978, it has been an important driving force in revealing violence against women, in bringing about change, and in protecting and supporting women who have been subjected to violence," she said.

Regina explains how women are abused by men.

The first women’s shelters opened in 1978: 'Alla Kvinnors Hus' in Stockholm and 'Kvinnohuset' in Gothenburg. They were in part a reaction to society’s inability to protect women who were the victims of violence and abuse by men close to them.

whilst she said they work round-the-clock helpling to provide services such as counselling and support in contacts with the police as well as social services, the family courts and the legal system, she pointed that these services do not cost anything. According to her, the plights that women undergo range from physical, psycological, and economical issues; and often stem from lack of knowledge on how to deal with these issues.

"If your husband or boy friend abuses you, just pick your phone and call us. If you choose, we can keep you anonymous and help you throughout all battles to getting your freedom back. Because your husband brings you in this country, he doesn't reserve any right to abuse you at any cost," she explained.

She told the gathering that Kvinnorjouren can among other things assist victims with temporal shelters and financial benefits and work together towards making their stay in Sweden a comfortable one.

Kvinnorjouren is a non-profit making and apolitical Movement, so much of its work are based on voluntary. Kvinnorjouren seeks to envisage an equal society free from violence, she added.


In many cases the woman is always the victim.

Men’s violence against women is the ultimate expression of structural inequality. If we are to end the violence that is aimed at women purely because they are women, we must work towards greater equality in a number of areas.

On Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Ädelsgörd said she understands that many immigrants are smuggling their girl-children to their countries of origin in order to circumcise them. She opined that laws in Sweden have disallowed the act; therefore anyone found wanting will be prosecuted. "There are already laws in place to counter this act."

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), FGM is practiced in 28 countries in western, eastern, and north-eastern Africa, in parts of the Middle East, and within some immigrant communities in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia. The WHO estimates that 100–140 million women and girls around the world have experienced the procedure, including 92 million in Africa.

Whilst gender equity and equality are important aspects of the Swedish society, Axel, one of Humanus' staff pointed out that "At Humanus Education Centre equality is part of our job descriptions: women and men are equal, so do Swedish and non-Swedish."