Country focus

Denmark Updated

Facts and figures about violence against women

  • Domestic violence against women is declining in Denmark. A new study from the National Institute of Public Health shows that about 26,000 women have been victims of partner violence in 2010 against 28,000 in 2005.
  • With a population of 5.5 million equivalent to 1.5 percent of adult women (16 years +) are victims of physical partner violence.
  • Young women (16-29 years) have six times higher risk of violence than middle aged woman.
  • During one year, 6,000 women consult an emergency due to lesions by interpersonal violence and about 5,500 women report cases of violence to the police.
  • Read more (old edition, a new translation of the new edition is coming).
  • Each year 2,000 women and their children are staying at one of the 40 women’s shelter. According to LOKKs annual statistical report 76 percent of these women have been victim of physical violence, 94 percent of psychological violence. Among the children 51 percent has experienced physical violence, 95 percent psychological violence and 84 percent has witnessed violence against their mother.
  • Read more. Last English translation of LOKK Annual Statistical Report is from 2008.
  • In 2010 a study from the National Institute of Public Health showed that violence against women costs the Danish society approximately 70,000,000 euro each year. This corresponds to an annual cost to society of approximately 925 Euro per violence-stricken women, who has either reported the violence to the police or contacted an emergency department because of violence. The annual costs are nearly 40 euro per women in the age group 16-64 years in the Danish population. Read more.

NGO cooperation

Women’s shelters Nearly all women’s shelters in Denmark are organised in LOKK (National Organisation of Women’s Shelters in Denmark).

The National Observatory on Violence Against Women, consists of representatives from institutions, organisations, and individuals working within this field of violence against women. Together The Observatory possesses a unique insight based on shared research, practical experience and feminist insight. Read more.

National Legislation

Denmark has a National Strategy to Prevent Violence in Intimate Relation.
Act on Social Service According to § 109 of the Act on Social Services the municipality where the woman lives, is obliged to pay for her stay at a shelter. The State shall reimburse 50% of the costs. The head of the shelter can determine whether a woman is battered and how long she should stay at the shelter. Moreover, in 2010 Denmark got a law against stalking.

Other resources

Contact

LOKK. Mette Volsing, Special consulent. E-mail: mv@lokk.dk Phone. +45 32 95 90 19; Mobile: +45 40 53 16 70
Address: LOKK, c/o 3F, Kampmannsgade 4, 1790, København V, Denmark

Latest video

EWL event "Progress towards a Europe free from all forms of male violence" to mark the 10th aniversary of the Istanbul Convention, 12 May 2021.

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