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You have the right to live a life free from any form of violence

It is never your fault if you have been threatened, or subjected to abuse. You have the right to receive help and support. This is the case even if the perpetrator is someone close to you, for example a family member or a partner. Experience of abuse can have psychological and physical consequences.

If you need help

Many have fallen victim to men’s violence against women, violence in close relationships, honour related violence, sexual abuse or harassment. There are a lot of people and organisations that you can turn to for help and support.

Kvinnofridslinjen – Sweden’s National Women’s Helpline

The national helpline offers help and advice, ranging from emotional to practical support and signposting to other services that can help. The helpline is open 24 hours a day and provide support to all callers, regardless if you are affected by any form of gendered/violence and abuse or calling on behalf of a relative or friend. You can remain anonymous on the call. The phone call is free and will not be shown on the telephone bill. However, kindly note that you need to delete the number from your call list if you do not want the helpline number to show on your recent calls.

Telephone number: 020‑50 50 50

Kvinnofridslinjen – Sweden’s National Women’s Helpline (kvinnofridslinjen.se) External link, opens in new window.

Support line for transgender people who have been subjected to domestic abuse or sexual violence

The national support line is there for you if you are transgender or a nonbinary adult and have been subjected to physical or psychological violence by someone close to you or to sexual violence.

Calls are and you can remain anonymous when you speak to the support line. Calls to the support line do not appear on your telephone bill.

Staff at the support line speak Swedish but can connect with an interpreter when required.

Lines are open every day between 11:00 and 19:00.

Telephone 020-55 00 00

Engelska – English – Stödlinjen för transpersoner (stodlinjenfortranspersoner.se) External link, opens in new window.

Support line for men who have been subjected to domestic abuse or sexual violence

The national support line for men, Stödlinjen för män, is there for you if you have been subjected to physical or psychological violence by someone close to you or to sexual violence.

Calls are free of charge and you can remain anonymous when you speak to the support line. Calls to the support line do not appear on your telephone bill.

Staff at the support line speak Swedish but can connect with an interpreter when required.

Lines are open every day between 07:00 and 21:00.

Telephone 020-80 80 80

Engelska – English – Stödlinjen för män (stodlinjenforman.se) External link, opens in new window.

Social services

You are always welcome to contact social services in the municipality where you are registered. The interventions that social services offer to victims of violence can vary, but most municipalities provide counselling, support meetings and financial assistance. Social services can also arrange contact with local crisis centres and assist with temporary sheltered housing.

Health and medical care

The Healthcare Guide 1177 has information for those who have been exposed to violence in close relationships.

Violence in close relationships (in Swedish) (1177.se) External link, opens in new window.

The Swedish Police

Always call 112 if you need emergency assistance.
The Swedish Police information page on crimes in close relationships.

Crime in close relationships (polisen.se) External link, opens in new window.

Honour-related violence

Information for those exposed to violence and those who want to learn more about honour-related violence and oppression.

For professionals and volunteers who need advice and consultation on issues related to honour-related violence and oppression, there is a support number: 010‑223 57 60

Nationellt centrum mot hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck (in Swedish) (hedersfortryck.se) External link, opens in new window.

Victim support guide

Guide for those who are the victim of a crime.

Victim support guide (in Swedish) (brottsofferguiden.se) External link, opens in new window.

Victim Support Sweden

Offers support to those who are the victim of a crime.

Victim Support Sweden (brottsofferjouren.se) External link, opens in new window.

Women's and young women's shelters

The National Organisation for Women’s Shelters and Young Women's Shelters in Sweden (Roks och Unizon), have around 100 women’s and young women's shelters across Sweden. Roks and Unizon offer help and support to women who have been subjected to threats, ill-treatment and sexual abuse.

About Roks (roks.se) External link, opens in new window.

Find information about Unizon in your language (unizonjourer.se) External link, opens in new window.

Q-jouren crisis centre

For women exposed to violence who have experienced abuse and been subject to prostitution. At Qjouren, there is no requirement that a woman who is seeking support, protection and information about her rights needs to be drug free.

Q-jouren crisis centre (in Swedish) (qjouren.se) External link, opens in new window.

Terrafem

Crisis line for women with a non-swedish background. The call will not show up on your phone bill. But remember that if you do not want the phone number to show in the list of recently dialled numbers, you will need to delete the number from the list yourself.

Telephone number: 020-52 10 10

Terrafem (terrafem.org) External link, opens in new window.

GAPF

GAPF offers support to those who are subjected to honour-related violence and oppression.

Telephone number: 070-000 93 28

Contact (In Swedish) (gapf.se) External link, opens in new window.

Different types of violence

Violence can take many different forms, and you can be exposed to several forms of violence at the same time We will explain the different types of violence below. When we discuss violence at the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, we base it on the following:

 

Physical violence can for instance be pushing, shoving, kicking, punching, strangulation, restraint or striking with a weapon.

Passive, physical violence can be that one person exposes another person to an act of violence that has physical consequences, such as denying someone sleep.

 

Verbal abuse, threats, isolation, blackmail or control that gradually cause a victim to break down psychologically.

Psychological violence can also be the indirect threat of suicide or a threat directed at another close relative.

 

Sexual violence involves forcing someone to engage in or witness sexual acts against their will. This may involve rape, but it can also be sexual harassment (for example, unwelcome touching). Exchanging money or other compensation for sexual services is always illegal, as it involves the exploitation of another person. This applies regardless of the amount or form of compensation.

 

Material abuse means that the perpetrator misuses a person’s property, or destroys or forces the victim to destroy property of special importance. Violence directed against pets is also considered to be material abuse.

 

Financial abuse may be that someone controls how a partner can use his or her own money or does not allow the partner to have any of his or her own money. It can also be that the perpetrator forces the partner to take out a loan, takes controls of the victim’s finances and material assets to increase isolation, vulnerability and to make the victim financially dependent.

 

Neglect may be that the victim does not receive the help he or she needs in terms of food, medicine or hygiene. More specifically, neglect may be not getting help to get out of bed or being given the wrong medication dosage.

 

Latent violence means that there is a continuous fear or worry of violence. It can be anger or aggression that manifests itself in the perpetrator’s posture and body language, which creates fear and is perceived to be a threat or reminds the victim of previous experiences of violence.

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