Minister for Equality: Men must also have the right to come to a crisis centre (Denmark)
The government plans to equate abused men with abused women.
Equality Minister Marie Bjerre is now proposing that men and women affected by violence must have the same offer. (Photo: © liselotte sabroe, Ritzau Scanpix)
OCT. 6 AT 06:37
If a woman is subjected to violence by her partner, she has the right to go to one of the country's crisis centers. A man does not have the same right if he is subjected to partner violence.
But that needs to be changed, believes Minister for Equality Marie Bjerre from Venstre.
- There are men's centers today, but men do not have the same opportunities in legislation as women, and we think that is not fair. Only women are mentioned in the provision. There are no offers for men in the legislation, and that is what we are equalizing now, says the minister.
Specifically, she therefore wants to have §109 of the Service Act changed - so that both men and women who are subjected to violence from their partner have the right to go to a crisis center and can also get free psychological help.
Today, Marie Bjerre is therefore sending a new bill to public consultation, where men and women are treated equally in this area.
Proposal to amend the law
The proposal to treat abused men and women equally is part of the government's legislative programme, which they presented at the opening of Parliament on Tuesday. Here the proposal is presented like this:
Amendment of the Social Services Act and various other laws (Equality of shelter services for men)
The purpose of the bill is to ensure equality of crisis center services for women and men exposed to violence. With the bill, men exposed to violence in intimate relationships are guaranteed access to crisis centers and the corresponding rights corresponding to the help that women are entitled to according to Section 109 of the Services Act. The bill is a follow-up to the agreement on the Finance Act for 2023 between the government and the Socialist People's Party, Liberal Alliance , Radikale Venstre and Dansk Folkeparti from April 2023 and on the government's action plan against partner violence and partner murder from June 2023.
Source: Legislative program for the parliamentary year 2023-2024
“We are now sending the proposal out for consultation, and then I expect that there will be broad political support. At least that's what I listen to inside Christiansborg. So I think there is support for us to finally treat men and women exposed to violence on an equal footing,” says Marie Bjerre, who hopes that the change in the law can come into force next summer.
More money has also been set aside for the area, and the minister emphasizes that it is important that the new initiative does not take funds or focus away from abused women.
Researcher doubts shelter
According to a study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health from 2021, up to 118,000 women were exposed to physical or psychological partner violence that year. While up to 83,000 men were exposed to the same.
At Roskilde University, Kenneth Reinicke researches gender and men. He has doubts about whether a crisis center is the right offer for abused men, because they do not need the same physical protection that many women who are exposed to violence have.
Kenneth Reinicke is more convinced that it can make a difference for the abused men if they can get free psychological help, and he believes that a change in the law can help break down a taboo.
“When men are exposed to violence, it can be a big cultural barrier to talk about it. Especially if you have been subjected to violence from a woman, because there are all kinds of mindless prejudices about it. So what is first and foremost needed for the abused men is help to understand what it is they have been exposed to,” says Kenneth Reinicke.
Today, many abused men have to go to hostels if they want to get away from domestic violence. (Photo: © Linda Kastrup, Scanpix Denmark)
In 2006, the Men's Center opened their first branch in Copenhagen, specifically to be an offer for men who have been exposed to intimate partner violence.
Since then, the Mandecentret has grown and today has seven branches around the country, and director Jacob Engmose Astrup is happy that men and women in crisis seem to have the same opportunities for help, and he believes a change in the law will make a difference.
- For us, this is a huge victory for equality. It is a historic milestone, because it fundamentally changes the way we look at domestic violence.
- Now the politicians recognize that it can go both ways and give the same rights. And it is an important step to help the abused men and break a taboo, he says.
Jacob Engmose Astrup also points out that equality in this area can be important for children who live in families where the man is exposed to physical or psychological violence.
- Today, men exposed to violence often have to go to a hostel for the homeless, and here there is a risk that the children will not be able to come. With a change in the law, they can come to the crisis center and take the children with them. As it is now, a great many men refrain from reaching out for help because they risk leaving their children behind in the violent environment, he says.
§109 and §110 of the Service Act
The government believes that both men and women affected by violence can receive offers that fall under Section 109 of the Service Act. Today, only women can get offers under §109, while men who are exposed to violence can get offers under §110
Service Act §109 The municipal board must offer temporary accommodation in accommodation to women who have been exposed to violence, threats of violence or a similar crisis in relation to family or cohabitation. The women can be accompanied by children, and they receive care and support during their stay.
Service Act §110 The municipal council must offer temporary accommodation in accommodation to persons with special social problems who do not or cannot reside in their own accommodation and who need accommodation and offers for activating support, care and subsequent help. Source: danskelove.dk