Children with multiple stays at Nordic refuges for abused women: conclusions, challenges, and causes for concern

Abstract

This article sheds light on the situation of children in refuges for abused women in the Nordic countries, with a special focus on children with multiple stays. Almost as many children as women live in refuges, but research on this marginalised group of children is scarce. This article overviews and summarises existing quantitative and qualitative data to examine what we know about children in refuges in a Nordic context (Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden). The literature shows that focus on children at the refuges is gradually increasing. However, major discrepancies among the Nordic countries exist in terms of which data are collected (if any), how it is presented, and what services and help are provided to children. The article also identifies and discusses some of the challenges faced by children with multiple stays at refuges: their prolonged exposure to domestic violence, disruptions in close relationships and repeated disruptions in preschool and school attendance. The available literature suggests reason for concern in regard to the risks of developing social and psychological difficulties, limited access to resources that can help develop resilience to violence, and school failure and drop-out. The article calls for further research on this particularly vulnerable group of children.

Keywords:

• children
• domestic violence
• resilience
• refuge
• school

Notes

1. Our resource contacts in Finland were Hannele Forsberg (Professor, University of Tampere), Sari Laaksonen (Development Director, The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters), Hanna Myllylä (Social worker, Joensunn Kaupunki refuge in Finland) and Mikko Oranen (Development Manager, National Institute for Health and Welfare); in Iceland Sigthrudur Gudmundsdottir (Director, Refuge for abused women in Reykjavík); and in Sweden Maria Björsson (Administrator, SKR) and Lena Björk (Administrator, ROKS).

2. As confirmed by Myllylä (email dated 12.03.2013) and Laaksonen (email dated 20.12.2013 and 18.06.2014).

3. Mentioned by Laaksonen (in an email dated 11.12.2013).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Extrastiftelsen [grant number 2012/2/0246].