At the heart of a residential area is the house, which is characterized by the fact that children also stay here. To get in, one has to pass through several locked doors. The reception room also serves as an office. In the evenings, music and youth talk characterize the room. Now it is quite full at the Crisis Center in Kongsberg, with both adults and children who need to get away from family violence. – Norway has a high rate of violence. We have had that over time. And it does not seem to be going down, rather in the opposite direction, that it is going up, says general manager at the Crisis Center Secretariat, Ane Fossum. Security is taken care of for those inside a crisis centre. This note is attached to a code lock in one of the shelters. Photo: Maria Kommandantvold / news National trend Although the total figures from the shelters will not be available until June, several of the shelters that news has spoken to confirm that they have had an increase in the past year. The number of day inquiries has also increased. There are people who call, use the internet or visit the crisis center because they need someone to talk to. Shelters in Norway There are 44 shelters in Norway. Many of the shelters cover several municipalities. You freely choose which crisis center you turn to. This means that you do not need to contact the crisis center in the municipality you live in. The crisis centers are run differently. Some are municipal, some are run as a foundation, and some run as an inter-municipal company. Some shelters have a secret address. But not everyone has it. The crisis center is never closed to people who need help to get away from domestic violence, even if it is full there. Not all shelters are members of the Shelter Secretariat. 20 of the country’s shelters are members there. (Sources: Crisis center secretariat, several municipalities, Bufdir) Ane Fossum is in contact with many of the centers and receives regular updates. She confirms the trend. Ane Fossum is the day-to-day manager of the Crisis Center Secretariat. Photo: Press photo – My impression is that this is the trend nationally. We see that there has been an increase in the number of inquiries. There has been a small increase in residents, and in some places there has been a sharp increase in the number of day users and, not least, conversations at the shelters, says Fossum. She believes part of the reason is that more people know about the offers. Constantly new “users” January has been characterized by many murders in Norway. Most of them happen in close relationships. The start of the year has also been special at the shelters. – It has been a full house all month, and there are new users, says general manager Anita Skullestad in Kongsberg. – There is a lot of focus on partner murder and partner violence now, with many ugly cases in the media. Perhaps there is so much going on that people think that “this might apply to me”, and therefore make contact. Many of those who live with domestic violence do not always know what a life without violence is like. Violence in close relationships is not just the physical violence. It is also about psychological violence in the form of threats, violations, control and the exercise of power. Anita Skullestad says that 2022 was a fairly normal year. – But in one year, the number of overnight stays increased from 1,412 to 1,744. Anita Skullestad is the general manager at Kongsberg crisis centre. Photo: Maria Kommandantvold / news Scared by all the murders The general manager of the crisis center in Ringerike, which includes 14 nearby municipalities, sees the same trend. In 2022, they had around 3,000 visitors a day, while last year there were 5,000. General manager Åshild Gjerstad Lad believes that the increased traffic is not special for Ringerike. – This applies to the whole country. Whether it is an aftereffect of corona or the economy, I am not sure. But we have become better at talking about violence and people have become more informed, says Lad. There has also been a sharp increase at the Drammen shelter. 129 people lived there last year. That is almost 40 more than the previous year. Shortage of housing The market for rental housing is difficult in many places, and some shelters find that some have to stay longer than necessary because they cannot get hold of housing. The managers at several of the shelters news has spoken to think so. During the pandemic, it quickly became quiet at the country’s shelters, despite the fact that the shelters continued to be open 24 hours a day. But the violence does not stop, and the number of inquiries by phone and online increased. Ingunn Eidset Åker, manager at the Drammen shelter. Photo: Maria Kommandantvold / news Now reality looks completely different. But even if a shelter is fully occupied, there is always room for people who need to get away from family violence. – A crisis center never closes its door to people exposed to violence. There is always room, says general manager at the Drammen shelter, Ingunn Eidset Åker. Do you need help or protection? Photo: Eirik Haukenes / news If you have been or are exposed to crime such as physical and psychological violence, threats, hate crime, sexual assault or something else, there is help to get: Know the telephone number for the police 02800, and your local crisis center You can get help and guidance at a support center for victims of crime. Telephone 800 40 008. There are protective measures such as a restraining order, name change and address restriction. The violence and abuse line (VO line) You can call at any time, around the clock. Completely anonymous. Completely free. Telephone 116 006 ROSA (Re-establishment – Places of stay – Security – Assistance). An aid measure that provides protection, assistance and guidance to people who are exposed to human trafficking. It is free to contact them on 22 33 11 60. Dinutvei, national guide to violence and abuse, A website with information about violence in close relationships, rape and other sexual abuse. Source: The police and the Crisis Center Secretariat
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Many shelters are experiencing increased traffic – news Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio
