Espen stands on the dance floor at the London Pub. It is the night before the pride marking, where tens of thousands will celebrate queer rights. The streets were to be filled with people and rainbow flags, for the first time since the pandemic. Then everything goes black. Lager support group It is 8 months since Espen was shot in the head during the terror attack on 25 June. He is still rehabilitating from the injuries he sustained. With Espen, according to the conditions, things have gone well. – But I am worried that there are people who have not received help with the psychological stress that the terror has caused, he says. Now, together with some others, he has taken the initiative to create a support group for everyone who was affected by the terror. Inge Alexander Gjestvang is head of the association FRI. He says it is important to get such a support group in place. Photo: Bård Nafstad / news – Traumatic events like this settle in the body, and this means that you can have very different reactions when some time has passed, says Inge Alexander Gjestvang, head of the association FRI. The association works for equality and against discrimination against people who break norms for gender and sexuality. – Getting a concrete support group for those affected after the terrorist attack is very important. We saw it after the July 22 attack. Consulted with the 22 July support group Espen and the new support group have already been in dialogue with the support group after the 22 July attack: – We have advised them to go out as widely as possible to capture all those affected. It can be difficult, but the job must be done, says Lisbeth Kristine Røyneland, leader of the national support group after 22 July. Lisbeth Kristine Røyneland is the leader of the national support group after 22 July. Photo: Daphne Steketee They were the ones who recommended that the 25 June attack also have its own support group established. – If you have a spokesperson or support group with many members, it is easier to gain influence with the authorities. It is much easier to be heard if they have one voice, she says. And that is also one of the reasons for starting the support group. To be a voice that can speak up for those affected by terror. – There is much to be learned from listening to those affected by such a dramatic event. Maybe we can learn something to prevent it from happening again, explains Espen Evjenth. He adds: – There will also be a court settlement. Then it can be helpful to have a support group, he says. Not just for queers Although the terror happened in Oslo, there were visitors there from all over the country, both queer and non-queer. Espen says that he has been concerned that there have been differences in how the victims have been followed up, depending on where they live. – We see that people have had different experiences just within Oslo among the districts, he says. The association Fri believes it is important to get the support group in place: – Even though this happened during pride, there were several nightclubs that were affected. Many were affected, and not everyone was part of the queer movement, says Inge Alexander Gjestvang. Therefore, it is also important for Evjenth to point out that the support group is for everyone, including the family and relatives of the victims, both queer and non-queer. Because terror concerns everyone, Espen believes. – The terror was an attack on democracy, freedom of expression and our entire society. People have laid flowers and pride flags outside Eilefs Landhandleri after the mass shooting in Oslo on the night of 25 June 2022 Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr
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Now he wants to create a support group after the terror – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
