“Moral courage can stop violence against women”

“the Debaters: every third week killed a woman – we need to act now.”

“This is an opinion piece. It is the writer who stands for the views that are put forward in the text, not Against.”

“DEBATE the Woman who sits opposite me is bruised. She has red marks around his neck and tears in his eyes. She looks up at me and says ”he would have killed me. Had not granntjejen called on, called on again and called the police so I would have been dead by now, that I know. This time, he would had killed me”. “

“She is not alone. Still killed a woman was the third week in Sweden, and every fourth woman is exposed to violence by a man sometime in life. Every seventh child has memories of having been beaten by their parents. Last week was the focus on the victims. But it is a focus we must have every week, all year and it starts now. “

“Brottsofferforskning shows that victims of violence in their home make the resistance in relation to expected help. It therefore means that if I know that no one will help me, I do not resistance against violence. I do as little as possible and hope to survive. “

“But it also means the opposite. I, with the knowledge that someone is going to act and come to the rescue, I dare to make resistance. “

“It’s resistance that can be heard and perceived by others can then provide the so important eyewitness testimonies, which means more prosecutions and convictions and, above all, it can lead to the violence stops – IF we have the courage to act on the signals we hear and see. “

“there is a method to get the more that experience anxiety to act. A method that does not require physical strength, costly training courses, or specific tactics. The method is called the Huskurage. It requires, however, care, compassion, and courage. “

“It’s about neighbors who experience anxiety to children or adults in distress knocking at the. Knock on the door and tells us what makes a worried. And in the case of acute danger or threat always call the police in the first place. A bank on the door may just be the one that gets the abuser to stop beating. “

“To act does not mean to literally engage in a scuffle – we think many would be wary of – but to act with humanity and care about each other by banging on a door, go up more if we don’t want to go alone and call the police. “

“It does not mean a risk to knock on a neighbor’s door and go from there. However, it means a great risk if we continue to spread and go on myths about both perpetrators and methods. “

“Myth # 1. Men who hit are violent monsters. “

“the Truth: For those who are exposed so they can certainly be understood as. However, in the vast majority of cases they do not have a bit of a risk for someone else. It is well tempered, cooperative, and friendly men. It is your colleague, brother, teammate and friend. All boys may learn that small that it is cowardly and ugly to hit a girl. No adult male wants to either be associated with a kvinnomisshandlare. Not even those who regularly beats his partner. Instead also believe the that the very men who beat their partners is a type they would never tolerate. This is also why chances are high that the violence will cease when the risk of being called increases.”

“Myth 2. It is dangerous to act. “

“the Truth: Usually it is completely harmless. And in addition, there are completely harmless way to act on. To knock on and walk away, to yell into the mailbox, shouting ”I’m calling the police”, to go together more and make a call on if one does not want to go alone, to call in and ask for a cup of sugar.”

“Myth 3. What if I was wrong when I knock on.”

“Truth: Yes, what if you are wrong. You may therefore in the worst case, a chat with a neighbor. And a safer accommodation where you know that more will act. And above all: what if you have the right! And has saved a life. And spared the suffering.”

“Despite the wagered million on kvinnofridsområdet. Despite national guidelines, and despite the increase in knowledge does not reduce the violence that occurs in close relationship. “

“And it depends not only on the samhällsskyddets shortcomings – but that it is hidden and that is acting. The violence takes place behind closed doors. When the preschool closed for the day. When the job is over and children and adults are exposed to the home’s four walls. “

“of all the children with memories from her father’s violence explains that he screamed all he could, every time her father struck. Not for the pain, the knew he would go over, but for that someone, yes someone would hear him and help him to stop the violence. No one came. “

“He says that he 35 years later, returns to his childhood house. The neighbors are the same and they tell me of their own accord that they heard him and his brother. Each and every time. But ask the question – what would we have done then?”

“We cannot afford not to intervene when adults and children are mistreated in their homes. It is not less courage of vulnerable need – no more. It costs also nothing to introduce Huskurage – but the cost suffering and life to resist. “

“nNina Rung, kriminolog and founder of the HuskuragenPeter Svensson, våldsförebyggare and founder of the Huskurage”

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