– For us, it is of great importance that someone dares to report, says general secretary Tove Gundersen of the Council for Mental Health. She praises that Silje Falmår chose to speak out about bullying, abuse and harassment on behalf of herself and ten others who were in their initial service in the Armed Forces. In February this year, Silje Falmår appeared on news’s issues and talked about her time in her initial service in the Norwegian Armed Forces. She experienced that the conditions she reported about internally in the Armed Forces were not addressed. So she also reported on errors in handling. – She is tough and brave The Council for Mental Health annually awards the Taboo Prize. The award is an honorary award to individuals, groups of people, organizations or businesses who have made an effort to break down prejudices and taboos, and who promote inclusion, consideration and openness about mental health. Secretary General Tove Gundersen of the Council for Mental Health praises Silje Falmår. Photo: Patrick da Silva Saether The Council for Mental Health is an umbrella organization for a number of actors who work for good mental health for all. The general secretary believes that what Silje Falmår has done fits well with their goals and the goals of the award. – She is tough and brave who stands in this. The aim is to contribute to knowledge and openness. So that no one else experiences being unsure that it is safe to be in the Armed Forces, says Tove Gundersen. She points out that Silje Falmår has also taken up the fight for others. – Lack of culture and lack of knowledge can be solved by good management. I hope that Silje’s fight for justice will contribute to change and more knowledge in the Armed Forces about how violence and abuse can take different forms, says Gundersen. Silje Falmår: – Confirmation that what I did was right Silje Falmår tells news that she feels she is being recognized for what she did through this award. – Receiving the Taboo Prize is experienced as a form of confirmation that what I did was right, and that it is perceived by many as both important and courageous to report and come forward with what I have experienced, she says to news. Falmår was the main person in news’s cases about harassment in the initial service at the Stridstrenbataljonen in the Army. She told about what she had experienced in reports. Afterwards, she met defense chief Eirik Kristoffersen face to face in the TV program Debatten. Defense chief Eirik Kristoffersen asked Silje Falmår for an apology in the program Debatten. There she could say that she had not yet received an answer to her case. Kristoffersen apologized for the experiences she had had, but said she still had to wait for an answer about her whistleblowing case. Silje Falmår thanks for support after much hardship. – Being awarded the Taboo Prize means a lot to me, and I think it also means a lot to many others who have been in a similar situation. I have been in a situation where I have almost exclusively faced adversity, and this is experienced as a statement of support from those who really understand the strain I have been under, says Falmår to news. Harassment and abuse in the Armed Forces Silje Falmår is one of several who in recent years have come forward and told about problems in the Armed Forces with bullying, harassment, abuse and abuse of power. news has had a number of cases about whistleblowers and errors in the Armed Forces. The Norwegian Defense Forces had to engage external investigators who looked into notification cases and notification systems. In a report from the consulting company PWC, it was concluded, among other things, that there were a number of deficiencies in the notification systems in the Armed Forces. Following this, the Armed Forces have promised to make changes and reorganize the notification systems in the Armed Forces. A review of Silje Falmår’s case internally in the Norwegian Armed Forces also found errors and omissions. When the Army’s notification channel had processed the notifications she sent in about incorrect handling, they concluded with two cases of errors in how they took care of Silje as a soldier and whistleblower. Hello! Do you have any input for us? Do you know of other matters in the Armed Forces that news should look at? Or do you know more about this case? Feel free to contact us by e-mail if you have input. You can also send us input, tips and information encrypted and secure via news’s extra secure notification reception – see how to submit via news’s SecureDrop here. news’s journalists have previously made several cases about conditions in the Armed Forces – among other things about whistle-blowing, about the senior sergeant who was tried to be pressured to lie to the police, the helicopter squadron commander who was tried to be pressured out of his job, the women who told about sexual harassment from a colonel, the lieutenant colonel who said that she was asked to write about reports, about trampling by Norwegian officers on UN missions in South Sudan and about Silje Falmår who told about bullying, harassment and abuse during his initial service. We are always interested in new information that enables us to shine a spotlight on the defense sector. So just get in touch with us. Marit Higraff, Tormod Strand, Christine Svendsen, Øyvind Bye SkilleJournalists at NRKSend me an e-mail
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Defense whistleblower Silje Falmår receives the Taboo Prize – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
