Efforts to combat rape

On 10 June 2015, the Storting decided to implement the local police reform. The objective of the reform is to ensure the presence of a competent and efficient local police where the population lives. One of the objectives is larger and better groups of professionals.

With the Nye politidistrikter [New police districts] project, the Police Directorate will review how the police organises its work to combat sexual assault. The police has drawn up clear procedures for effective securing of evidence during the 24 first hours after a rape has been reported. The best possible police work during the initial phase of the investigation is often critical to subsequent investigative measures and to the prosecuting authorities' work on such cases. When the police begin investigating quickly, key evidence is secured during the initial phase. This includes crime scene investigation, collaboration with reception centres for victims of assault and the health and care services, interviews of the aggrieved party and witnesses, drawing up charges, interviews of witnesses, and securing biological and technical evidence, like video and telecommunications data.

The police's work with sexual offences was evaluated in the spring of 2015.⁶⁴ The evaluations contain points for learning and propose several measures in order to strengthen the police's investigative work on this type of case. The Ministry of Justice and Public Security will follow up the recommendations in consultation with subordinate agencies. A specific point for follow-up in the evaluation is changing the nature of the rape group at the National Criminal Investigation Service, permanently strengthening the unit with 16 positions starting in the autumn of 2015. The rape group was established as a project in 2010, following the recommendations of the Commission on Rape in Official Norwegian Report (NOU) 2008:

4 Fra ord til handling [From words to action]. Most of the competence of the rape group lies in investigation, forensic science, analysis, and sharing of information and competence in the field of rape.

As part of the research programme on violence in close relationships, NOVA will also conduct a research project on sexual violence in close relationships. The project deals with sexual violence among couples and boy/girlfriends. The project also looks at peer groups, which are an important emotional and social community for youths. The project particularly focuses on youths because youths are at particular risk of this type of assault. Knowledge gained through studies of youths is transferable to other age groups.

Within the frame of the research programme on violence in close relationships, NKVTS will also carry out a study of self-awareness and understanding of assault and

responsibility among men who have committed rape or other gross sexual offences. The study will yield new knowledge about rape and perpetrators. Gender equality and rape will be one of the aspects that is illuminated.

Support services in the health and care sector.

The reception centres for victims of assault were established in order to offer emergency assistance to persons who have experienced rape and/or violence in close

relationships. In 2016, the health and care services offered to victims of rape and assault will

64National Criminal Investigation Service (2015a), National Police Directorate (2015a)

be integrated into the ordinary services. This means that the specialist health service will have the primary responsibility for services for children and adults who have experienced sexual assault. Existing municipal reception centres for victims of assault may be granted a

continued existence through agreements between the regional health authorities (the specialist health service) and the municipalities. The current practice, where the health and care services conduct forensic investigations in order to assist the police's work when a complaint has been filed, must continue.

The emergency medical service is a gateway for help, also for persons who have experienced sexual assault, regardless of how services for victims of assault are organised.

The emergency medical service will treat emergency cases in the regular manner, and will refer cases as required. Following the acute phase, most of the medical and psychosocial follow-up will take place locally. The new Emergency Medicine Regulations incorporate the requirement that doctors who work at the emergency medical service alone, without back-up on-call staff, must have taken a course on handling violence and assault.⁶⁵

It is important to secure evidence and documentation of harm to victims of violence and assault, but this is a challenging field. Today it is standard practice for the police to requisition the securing of evidence from the health and care services when the victim has filed a complaint with the police. The Directorate of Heath's guide recommends that evidence be secured as part of the health service, irrespective of whether the matter has been reported to the police. The Commission on Rape is among those who have pointed out that not enough evidence is secured and harm is documented, and that this is detrimental to the rule of law.⁶⁶ There is reason to believe that evidence is not secured in a number of cases because there are no clear guidelines for when this should be done. Responsibility for the task is not clearly defined, and the work is costly. Through the letters of allocation for 2015, the Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security have tasked the Directorate of Health and the Police Directorate with determining who is responsible for securing evidence in the event of violence and/or sexual assault.

Rape must be prevented

The Equality Report pointed out the need for systematic and knowledge-based prevention work, especially targeted at youths.⁶⁷ Youths and young adults are particularly vulnerable to assault and are over-represented among the perpetrators reported to the police.

The report also points out that the work to prevent rape should be seen in the context of prevention of sexual harassment. In Subchapter 4.4, the White Paper discusses work at school to prevent sexual harassment.

65The Regulations No. 231 of 20 March 2015 relating to requirements regarding and organisation of municipal emergency medical services, ambulance service, medical first responder services etc. (the Emergency Medicine Regulations) will enter into force on 1 May 2015.

66Official Norwegian Report (NOU) 2008: 4

67Official Norwegian Report (NOU) 2012: 15

Box 4.7 #ikkegreit

The ung.no website and service ran the #ikkegreit [#notOK] campaign in the winter of 2015. The purpose was to provide youths with information about offences, violence and assault in close relationships. The purpose of the campaign was to familiarise youths with the ung.no website as a place to find quality-assured and reliable information on topics that interest young people. Through advertisements and short films published on Facebook, the campaign helped raise youths' awareness of setting boundaries and the difference between innocent jokes and bullying, arguing and psychological violence, cuddling and sexual assault.

During the campaign, news items were published on dedicated Facebook pages on a daily basis, and Twitter and Instagram were used for communication purposes. The message and the films were displayed on the walls of 428 000 youths aged 13–20. 159 000 of them have clicked on to articles containing further information on ung.no. The film clips have been downloaded over 200 000 times. The www.ung.no website is operated by the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs, and the campaign was financed by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

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In the autumn of 2013, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security launched a

campaign to improve attitudes towards rape called Kjernekar, with a focus on so-called party-related rape. The campaign quickly received about 65 000 followers on Facebook. The campaign appeals to the great guy, men aged 18–35 who take care of themselves and others.

They dare speak up, and pay extra attention, making sure that everyone has a good evening. In addition to the facts regarding rape, the website contains links to important addresses for rape victims. The website has also been translated into English. The Kjernekar campaign includes two lower secondary school textbooks as part of the subject Norwegian, where the pupils analyse the message of the campaign.

Box 4.8 Prohibition against sexual harassment and protection Sexual harassment is prohibited according to Section 8a of the Gender Equality Act.

Sexual harassment means unwanted sexual attention that is a nuisance to the subject of the attention. The Act states that also employers and the managements of organisations and educational institutions shall prevent harassment.

Pursuant to Section 9a-3 second and third subsections of the Education Act, schools shall work in an active and systematic manner to promote a good psychosocial environment where all pupils feel safe and have a sense of social belonging.

The Working Environment Act Section 4-3 No. 3 states that employees shall not be subjected to harassment or other improper conduct. The remarks to this point state that there may be a need to give employees stronger protection against psychological burdens like harassment or different types of bullying. Sexual harassment or unwanted sexual attention at work are mentioned as examples of this.¹

1 Reproduced in Proposition to the Odelsting Ot. Prop. 77 (2000–2001)

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