Violence and Rape in Norway

A National Prevalence Survey

Background:
Initiative in «Turning Point», the
Government Action Plan against Domestic
Violence

Aims of the survey:

Study the
• Prevalence of violence and abuse in
Norway in childhood and among adults
• Relations between victims and
perpetrators
• Consequences for health
Methodology

• Random sample of population

between 18-75 drawn from the
national population register
• Letter of invitation sent by mail
• Telephone interviews (CATI)
conducted by Ipsos MMI
• Response rate 43 %
• 2435 women and 2092 men
Results

1. Rape

Specific questions based on legal

definition of rape

- first time in Norway

Has anyone ever forced you to have sexual intercourse by
using physical force or threatening to harm you or someone
close to you?

Similar questions about

- Oral sex
- Anal sex
- Penetration by fingers or objects in vagina or anus
Lifetime prevalence of rape:

9,4 % women
1,1 % men

Of the female victims:

 Half (49 %) had been raped before the age of 18
 44 % had been in fear of being seriously injured or killed
Classified knowledge…

Of women who had been raped:

 11 % had been to a medical examination or
treatment the following days
 11 % reported the rape to the police

 29 % had never told anyone about the rape

Sexual abuse of children
Sexual contact before the age of 13 with
someone at least 5 years older:

– 10 % women, 4 % men
(approximately half of the cases were attempted or
completed intercourse or oral or anal sex)
– Medium age of sexual intercourse
before the age of 13 was 8 years.
– On out of four had never told anyone
Stereotypes:
– Father/stepfather as perpetrators
– Women raped by strangers

Our findings:
– Sexual abuse of children: 14% were abused by their
father or stepfather
– Rape: 14% of victims were raped by strangers
Results:

2. Child abuse
 Men Women
Physical and psychological
abuse from parents
Less severe violence (pulled hair, pinched, 33 % 28 %
shaken/pushed violently, slapped)

Severe violence (Hit with fist or hard object, kicked, battered, 5% 5%

strangled, or physically attacked in other ways)

Witnessing violence between parents 10 % 10 %

(Slapped, hit with fist or hard object, kicked, battered, strangled, or
physically attacked in other ways)

Psychological abuse (parents repeatedly ridiculed you, 11 % 15 %

humiliated you, ignored you, said you were a failure)

Girls and boys equally exposed

 Polyvictimization in childhood

Women Sexual Rape

abuse before
before 13 18 years
years old old
Severe physical violence from parents (4,9 %) 18 % 16 %
Exposed (Hit with fist or hard object, kicked, battered, strangled, 3% 4%
Not Exposed
or physically attacked in other ways)

17 % women and 8 % men exposed to rape or severe violence

from parents during childhood
Relation between exposure in childhood and re-
victimization as adults. Women

Exposed in childhood Rape as adult Severe violence

as adult
Sexual contact before 13
years. 27 % 33 %
Exposed
5% 10 %
Not
exposed
Severe violence from parents
in childhood 19 % 29 %
Exposed
Not
5% 10 %
exposed
Results

3. Physical violence and partner violence

Severe violence after 18 years of Men Women
age
(Hit with fist or hard object, kicked, battered,
strangled, or physically attacked in other ways))

Severe physical violence lifetime 46 % 23 %

Severe physical violence and afraid of

being seriously injured or killed 14 % 11 %

Severe physical violence with physical 23 % 12 %

injuries
Violence and sexual abuse from Men Women
partner or ex-partner

Less severe physical violence 16 % 14 %

(pulled hair, pinched, shaken/pushed violently, slapped)
Severe physical violence
(Hit with fist or hard object, kicked, battered, strangled, 2% 8%
or physically attacked in other ways)

Rape 0,1 % 4%

Females and males equally exposed to less severe violence

from partner.
4 x more women exposed to severe violence from partner.
The hidden violence

Among those who hade been exposed to severe

violence:
• One in four had reported the violence to the police
(equal for men and women)

• One in four had been to a medical examination or

treatment
(equal for men and women)

• One in three women an one in six men had ever

spoken to any health worker about problems or
consequences of the violence
Results

4. Violence and psychological health

All forms of violence and abuse, both in childhood and
as adults, were associated with psychological health
problems.

Psychological health problems increases with the

volume of victimization.

Violence and abuse are serious public health problems.

Conclusions
• 9,4 % of Norwegian women have been raped
• Rape is «a tragedy of youth» (half of victims raped before
18)
• A lot of children is exposed to different types of abuse
during childhood.
• Victimized youth carries an increased risk of being re-
victimized later in life.
• Men and women equally exposed to physical partner-
violence, but women experience the most severe violence.
• Violence and abuse is kept secret. Victims seldom reports
to the police and does not ask for help. Many never talks
about their experiences.
We must dare to ask.
• Violence and abuse are a threat to public health
Thank you for listening