Shelters in Denmark For Battered Women - European Commission

minister refers to statistics according to which 275 non- citizens since 1998 have referred to
domestic violence as a cause of a separation. But it was only in 86 cases that the woman
obtained extraordinary permits to stay. The minister explains this by stating, that in the
other cases either has violence not been proved, or the victim has been in the country for
such a short time that to give a permit to stay has not seen to be fair.
2.3. Specific needs not covered by legislation
Based on an interview with Peter Michael Toft, legal advisor at LOKK, we are able to list
needs not yet covered by legislation according to LOKK:
• The implementation of the so-called Austria-model ought to be followed up by resources,
so that the perpetrator can be presented with alternatives once expelled from
the home as e.g. special treatment against violent behaviour.
• In cases where children are involved, the law gives the father the right to know where
the children are staying which in cases where the safety of the woman is threatened, inflicts
with her need of and right to anonymous sheltering, as the father of the children
automatically will know where she is staying.
• The Social Service Act prescribes the counties to offer “support and care” to specially
exposed groups. Counselling and treatment on the other hand are merely mentioned in
the explanatory notes as recommendations as the responsibility for this kind of measures
lies with the municipalities. It is, therefore, optional for the county to provide these services.
This is a main reason for the varying services the crisis centres can offer.
• Furthermore, the legislation is not specific but rather unclear about which municipalities
are responsible for taking care of the woman when she for instance turns to a crisis centre
outside of her home municipality. Due to this the municipalities will try to avoid the
responsibility and costs, with the consequence that the woman’s case will travel back
and forth between municipal departments dragging out the casework.
• Women who find themselves in life-threatening situations and who are therefore forced
to emigrate can find themselves without statutory protection. In these cases there is a
need for international agreements in the reign of UN or EU so that these serious cases
can be taken care of quickly and in a proper way.
2.4. Date of first specific law and important milestones
From the beginning of the 80’s and during that decade, the crisis centres began to receive
financial support from the state, the counties, and the municipalities. Gradually, some of the
22