Expert: Women exposed to violence are traumatized for life

In addition to the emotional trauma and fear of continued violence, many abused women testify that they end up in a "government chaos" when they leave the relationship.

It may be that different authorities find it difficult to cooperate or make decisions that go across. 

- It happens, for example, that the police and social services make different risk assessments, which means that a woman in need of sheltered housing, according to the police, is not granted by the social services if the social services do not consider the threat to the woman as high as the police assess it is. .

This is what Heléne Carlsson, business developer Violence in close relation at the Crime Victim Support Sweden, says.  

Just applying for a job is problematic

For women who have to live with a protected identity, the consequences are particularly noticeable.

Not infrequently, they have to move from their hometown, resign from their jobs and cut off all contact with relatives and friends with a ruined economy and isolation as a result. 

- Just applying for a new job can be problematic because the woman, because she has protected personal data, can not show a CV, says Heléne Carlsson.  

Tough to have to meet many different administrators

It is also not uncommon for a person exposed to violence who seeks support from the Social Services to meet many different administrators at different units.

For those who have protected personal data, this means an increased risk of identity being revealed. 

- It can be about up to seven or eight people knowing the person's true identity, says Heléne Carlsson, who also points out how tough it is for a person exposed to violence to have to turn their lives inside out for every new administrator she meets. 

Moving abroad is the ultimate consequence

For some women, even secret personal information is not enough to protect them from continued violence.

- Unfortunately, it happens that we have perpetrators where there is a great threat and there is a risk of lethal violence and then you have to move the woman, sometimes abroad and sometimes very far away, says Susanne Gosenius who is crime victim and personal security coordinator in police region South.