Are you a victim of domestic violence?

Are you scared of or do you feel controlled by someone close to you? Protection and support is available. This page contains information about domestic violence and contact details for government agencies and organisations that can support and help you.

Using violence against someone is against the law. It is always the person who uses violence who is responsible, never the victim. The person who uses violence may be a partner, a parent, an adult child, a relative acting as a carer or someone else who is close to the victim. Anyone can be a victim of violence. You can get support and help to change your situation from social services in your municipality.

Learn more about violence

Domestic violence is often about someone wanting to have power and control over the other person. Violence can involve so much more than physical and sexual violence.

In order to help educate people about psychological violence and what, for example, economic and digital violence can involve, Arbetsförmedlingen has developed an online course. There are also several podcasts in different languages ​​to take part in.

Online course

The online course is aimed at job seekers. It contains films and facts to give more knowledge about what violence in relationships is and how violence can affect us. The course provides information on how Arbetsförmedlingen can support those who are or have been victims of violence. It is important to know that all persons exposed to violence have the right to protection and support. Regardless of who you are and what situation you find yourself in, you have the right to get help.

The course consists of an introduction and three parts and takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. The course is in Swedish.

Web course - know more about violence for jobseekers

Introduction to the web course (in Swedish)

Film

1 minut 54 sekunder

Are you a job seeker and want to know moree about violence in close relationships? Listen to Tara Twana, section manager at Arbetsförmedlingen

Podcasts

There is a clear link between ill health and violence, and this affects the ability to work. Arbetsförmedlingen has produced a series of podcasts for jobseekers which hopefully will help give more victims of violence the courage to talk about violence and receive the protection and support they need. The podcasts are available in several languages.

Podcast in Swedish: Why should Arbetsförmedlingen ask about violence?

Podcast in Swedish: How Arbetsförmedlingen work with domestic violence

Podcast in English: Domestic violence - a hidden cause of unemployment?

Podcast in Arabic: Domestic violence – a hidden cause of unemployment?

Podcast in Somali: Domestic violence - a hidden cause of unemployment?

Podcast in Persian: Domestic violence – a hidden cause of unemployment?

Questions about your experiences of violence

Arbetsförmedlingen may ask questions about whether you have experienced violence. We do this for the purpose of allowing us to match you with the right job or the right support. It may be the case that if you are being threatened, we need to adapt your job search accordingly. It is therefore important that you tell Arbetsförmedlingen about your situation.

Different forms of violence

Violence can take many forms and it is possible to be the victim of more than one form of violence at the same time. Here we explain different types of violence.

Physical violence

Physical violence can be pushing, kicking, hitting, choking, restraining or beating with a weapon.

Passive physical violence can involve a person subjecting another person to some type of violent act that has physical consequences, for example preventing someone from sleeping.

Psychological violence

Verbal violations, threats, isolation, extortion or control that gradually lead to the victim being broken down psychologically.

Indirect threats of suicide or threats directed at other people someone is close are also psychological violence.

Sexual violence

Sexual violence is forcing someone to carry out or witness sexual acts against their will. It can involve rape, but also sexual harassment (for example involuntary touching). Buying sexual services is always illegal as it involves the exploitation of another person. This is always the case, regardless of the size or nature of the payment.

Property damage

This type of violence involves the violent person destroying the victim’s property or destroying or forcing the victim themselves to destroy personal possessions that are important to them. Violence against pets also counts as property damage.

Economic violence

Economic violence can involve a person controlling how their partner uses their money or not allowing the partner to have any money of their own at all. It can also involve the person forcing their partner to take out loans, controlling their finances and material assets in order to increase their isolation, vulnerability and to make the person financially dependent.

Neglect

Neglect can involve the victim not getting the help they need with food, medicine or hygiene. In more concrete terms, this can involve not receiving help with getting out of bed or getting the wrong quantities of medication.

Latent violence

Latent violence means there is a constant fear or worry about violence. It can involve anger or aggression that is visible in the perpetrator’s posture and body language and which creates fear and is perceived as a threat or reminds the person of previous experiences of violence.

Support and help for those who have been subjected to violence, threats or sexual abuse

You are not alone. There are many instances who offer support and help to improve your situation or to process things that have happened.

Kvinnofridslinjen

Kvinnofridslinjen offers support over the phone 24 hours a day. They can also help you with contact details for social services, social support services or women’s support services. The phone call is free of charge and will not show up on your phone bill. Remember that if you do not want the number to show up in the list of recently dialled numbers in your phone you need to remove the number from the list yourself. Telephone number: +46 20-50 50 50.

Kvinnofridslinjen (kvinnofridslinjen.se)

The police

You must always call 112 if you need emergency help. The police have an information page about domestic violence.

Crime victim in a close relationship (polisen.se)

Social services

You can contact the social services in the municipality where you are registered. The measures social services offer victims of violence vary, but most municipalities offer advice, support calls and financial assistance. Social services can also get you in contact with local support services and help with temporary accommodation.

Health services

Vårdguiden 1177 has information for those who are victims of domestic violence.

Domestic violence (1177.se) (in Swedish)

Young persons’ clinic online

UMO is a website for everyone between the ages of 13 and 25. At UMO.se you can find out about the body, sex, relationships, mental health, alcohol and drugs, self-esteem and lots of other things.

Young persons’ clinic online (umo.se) (in Swedish)

Honour-related oppression

Information for those who are victims of and those who want to learn more about honour-related oppression.

For those who are professionals or work on a voluntary basis and need advice and consultation in matters relating to honour-related oppression, there is a helpline that can be reached on +46 10-223 57 60.

Hedersfortryck.se

Brottsofferguiden

Guide for those who are victims of crime.

Brottsofferguiden (brottsofferguiden.se) (in Swedish)

Victim support helplines

Offer support if you have been the victim of a crime.

Victim Support Sweden (brottsofferjouren.se)

Women’s and young women’s refuges

Roks and Unizon provide services around the country that offer support to young women and women.

Roks (roks.se)

Unizon (unizon.se)

The National Association of Swedish Crisis Centres for Men

An umbrella organisation for organisations that provide support for men in crisis. Contact details for crisis centres for men around the country. Professional organisations that work with domestic violence, men in crisis and men’s violence against women.

The National Association of Swedish Crisis Centres for Men (rikskriscentrum.se)

European database for support services:

Women Against Violence Europe (wave-network.org)

Q-jouren

For female victims of violence with experiences of substance abuse and sex work. Qjouren does not require women who seek support, protection and information about their rights to be drug free.

Q-jouren (qjouren.se) (in Swedish)

RFSL Support Service

For LGBTIQ+ persons who have been subject to harassment, threats or violence.

RFSL Support Service (rfsl.se)

National association support centre against incest and other sexual assault in childhood

For women who have been subjected to sexual abuse in childhood.

National association support centre against incest and other sexual assault in childhood (rise-sverige.se) (in Swedish)

Terrafem

Helpline for women with a foreign background. The call will not show up on your phone bill. Remember that if you do not want the number to show up in the list of recently dialled numbers in your phone you need to remove the number from the list. Telephone number: +46 20- 52 10 10.

Terrafem (terrafem.org)

TRIS

Tris is a hotline for those subjected to honour-related violence and oppression.

TRIS (tris.se) (in Swedish)

Save the children

Love is free is part of Save the Children's preventive work against honor-related violence and oppression.

Save the children (raddabarnen.se) (in Swedish)

Children’s and young people’s support service in sign language

The children’s and young people’s support service is aimed at children and young people aged 6-21 in Sweden who are deaf or have impaired hearing.

Children’s and young people’s support service in sign language (boujt.se) (in Swedish)

Veterinary concern for victims of violence

The purpose of the organisation is to help people living with domestic violence situations move into sheltered accommodation.

Veterinary concern for victims of violence (voov.nu) (in Swedish)

To those who harm, hurt, frighten or harass others

Are you wondering whether your actions mean that you are subjecting someone in your family to violence? Do you feel you have problems controlling yourself, your anger or your reactions? Do you feel you sometimes cross the line or are you afraid of harming someone? It is possible to change unwanted behaviours and help is available.

Choose to stop

Choose to stop is a helpline for those who use violence or threats of violence. Telephone number: +46 20-55 56 66.

The choose to stop website (valjattsluta.se)

Social services

Social services in the municipality where you are registered can provide support to those who find it difficult to manage their anger and aggression and to those who are subjecting or have subjected a person close to them to violence or threats of violence.

Health services

Vårdguiden 1177 also has information for those who have subjected someone to sex crimes and information about assault and sexual harassment.

Vårdguiden 1177 website (1177.se)

Information from Vårdguiden 1177 for those who have subjected someone to sex crimes (1177.se) (in Swedish)

Information from Vårdguiden 1177 about sexual harassment (1177.se) (in Swedish)

Youmo.se

Youmo.se is a website for those aged between 13 and 20. It has information about the body, sex and health.

The youmo.se website (youmo.se)

The National Association of Swedish Crisis Centres for Men

An umbrella organisation for organisations that provide support for men in crisis. Contact details for crisis centres for men around the country. Professional organisations that work with domestic violence, men in crisis and men’s violence against women.

The National Association of Swedish Crisis Centres for Men (rikskriscentrum.se)

Our assignment to increase the detection of violence

Victims of violence often suffer serious ill health as well as loss of work and income. That is one of the reasons why the Government has tasked Arbetsförmedlingen, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) and the Swedish Gender Equality Agency (Jämställdhetsmyndigheten) with collaborating on issues relating to increased detection of violence. The Nationella nätverket för samordningsförbund (NNS) (the National Network for Co-ordination Associations) is included in the same Government assignment and coordinates the project Stoppa våldet (Stop the violence).

Hiding online searches

All websites you visit and all your online activities are stored on your computer or smartphone. If you do not want others to have access to that information you must clear your search history. We tell you here how you can surf the internet anonymously and how you can clear your search history.

How you can hide your browsing history

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