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Priority area 2 – Prevention

“My job is to ensure the well-being of the pupils. I’m there for small things, and if they get used to me being there for small things, they’ll eventually come to me for big things. They come with everything from “can you open the lift?” to “mum and dad are beating me.”

Social work associate, informant in the report Negativ sosial kontroll på skolen [negative social control among pupils in a school context] (Proba, 2024) (available in Norwegian only)

The Government wants to prioritise more systematic and comprehensive preventive efforts.

The Government aims to prevent negative social control and honour-motivated violence. Being subjected to negative social control and honour-motivated violence can have significant consequences for physical and mental health and participation in education, work and society. Some will need long-term support and follow-up. Good prevention can spare individuals considerable suffering and society significant costs.

The Government prioritises integration measures and violence prevention. This includes early intervention, access to advice and guidance and accessible information about laws, rights and duties – and opportunities for participation in various social arenas.

Prevention includes efforts to reduce the incidence of negative social control and honour-motivated violence. This involves, among other things, minimising harmful effects and preventing recurrence. Safety measures and measures aimed at perpetrators are therefore also part of the preventive efforts.

The voluntary sector plays an important role in preventive efforts. The voluntary sector fulfil several roles and in many situations serves as an important link between victims and the ordinary service system. Good co-operation between the voluntary sector and the public sector helps to ensure that more people receive assistance at an early stage.

Norway has a long tradition of knowledge-based policy. In order to develop effective measures against negative social control and honour-motivated violence, we require up-to-date knowledge. Negative social control and honour-motivated violence is a global problem, and international knowledge development and sharing of experiences are important to further develop efforts.

The Government is focussing its measures on the following areas:

  • Early intervention and participation
  • Information about rights, legislation and support services
  • New knowledge
  • International co-operation

Measure 3: Better prevention – a strengthened diversity advisor programme

There are just under 70 diversity advisors at lower and upper secondary schools in all of the country’s counties, and at some adult education centres. They provide advice and guidance to pupils at the schools where they work, and also assist with competence enhancement and guidance at schools that do not have diversity advisors.

Several reports and recommendations have been published that are relevant to the work of strengthening prevention, including NOVA’s follow-up evaluation of a trial involving diversity advisors at lower secondary schools and adult education centres. Among other things, the report recommends that greater emphasis be placed on preventive efforts; in lower secondary schools through co-operation with parents and in adult education through knowledge about the role of parents and the rights of children and adults in Norway.

The Government will continue to develop the diversity advisors scheme as part of its preventive efforts. Particular attention will be given to how to strengthen efforts related to parents and schools that do not have diversity advisors.

Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

Measure 4: Information about negative social control shall be targeted and easily accessible to those who need it

There are already online resources and services available on the topic, but they may be perceived as fragmented and insufficiently known. Reports also point to the need for targeted information programmes aimed at newly arrived immigrants, young men and parents.

The Government will:

  1. increase awareness of existing online resources and services. The measure will also contribute to better coordination of information initiatives.
  2. develop information initiatives that are particularly targeted at newly arrived immigrants, young men and parents. The information initiatives will include an explanation of negative social control, the consequences of being subjected to it, how to prevent and help, as well as relevant rights and laws in Norway.

Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

Box 7: Negative social control on social platforms

Negative social control is also exercised on social media and digital platforms. Control may be exercised by family members, romantic partners, friends and other members of the same community, both in Norway and from abroad.

Digital negative social control and honour-motivated violence can occur in all channels used for communication. Social media such as Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook are examples of arenas where negative social control occurs, through unwanted disclosure, or threats of disclosure, of photos or videos, rumour spreading, defamation, exclusion, pressure to share photos, demands for money and services, or surveillance and control through location functions.

Effective prevention depends on the service system being aware that negative social control can also occur on digital platforms. Parents should also be familiar with children’s digital lives, and digital services must be properly regulated for children.

Parents are responsible for ensuring their children’s well-being and that their rights in both the digital and physical environment are safeguarded. Striking the balance between protection and children’s right to privacy can be challenging. Parents can monitor search history, check content on mobile phones and track their children’s movements via GPS on mobile phones and smartwatches. Parents secretly tracking their children can jeopardise children’s right to privacy and the trust between children and parents. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child warns against routine surveillance of children and young people.

The Government has initiated work to strengthen efforts to ensure that children and young people enjoy a safe digital upbringing:

The Government will present a white paper on the digital upbringing of children and young people. The white paper on a safe digital upbringing will contribute to a comprehensive policy in this area. The report will explore both opportunities and challenges related to the digital everyday life of children and young people.

The Government wants to set an age limit of 15 years for when children can independently consent to social media processing their personal data. The government also aims to introduce legislation setting an absolute age limit for social media and is continuing to work on how this can be implemented.

Measure 5: Explore the possibility of residence and self-sufficiency declarations for newly arrived refugees and persons arriving under family immigration (family reunification)

The aim is for newly arrived immigrants to be integrated into Norwegian society at an early stage and become financially independent. Good Norwegian language skills, knowledge of Norwegian society and formal qualifications are important in order to establish a lasting connection to the labour market. Newly arrived refugees and immigrants can be particularly vulnerable to negative social control and honour-motivated violence, which can hinder their opportunities for integration into Norwegian society. Therefore, it is important that individuals are aware of their rights and duties.

The Government will explore whether a residence and self-sufficiency declaration should be introduced in Norway, which newly-arrived refugees and persons arriving under family immigration must sign, stating that they have received information about key rights, duties and expectations .

Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

Measure 6: Strengthen opportunities for increased participation in work and education for immigrant women

Employment rates among immigrants are lower than those in the general population. Employment rates among immigrant women are also lower than among immigrant men, although this varies widely between immigrant groups and by country background. Among women from certain countries in Asia and Africa, employment rates are very low, regardless of duration of residency. There is a need for measures that contribute to increased employment, particularly among women from groups with very low employment rates in Norway. The Government will:

  1. consider strengthening Jobbsjansen, a job opportunity programme. Jobbsjansen is at full-time qualification programme that aims to increase employment among stay-at-home immigrant women who are not covered by other qualification schemes. Through grants for Jobbsjanse-projects, municipalities are able to offer an individually adapted programme. The Jobbsjanse programme has yielded positive results for several years. Based on the results in recent years, it is estimated that 75 per cent of the participants will go directly into work or ordinary education after completing the programme.
  2. consider conducting trials of introduction programmes for women who immigrate under family immigration to reunite with Norwegian and Nordic citizens and individuals with permanent residence permits.

The measures will help immigrant women increase their basic and formal qualifications, with a view to participation in employment or education. Increased participation in the labour market fosters economic independence and allows more people to live free lives.

Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

Box 8: Voluntary sector

The voluntary sector is an important supplement for the authorities in their efforts to combat negative social control and honour-motivated violence. The voluntary sector often reaches groups that are hard for the authorities to access. They establish dialogue, offer safe spaces and build trust, thereby lowering the threshold for seeking assistance. The voluntary sector also plays a crucial role in supporting young adults who have severed ties with their families.

There are several organisations that work actively with negative social control, including:

  • The Norwegian Red Cross operates the Red Cross helpline on negative social control and honour -based violence and provides guidance and support to individuals who are victims of negative social control and honour-motivated violence.
  • Hjelpekilden provides assistance to individuals from closed or strict religious environments. They work preventively and provide advice on the process of leaving religious communities, mental health problems, exclusion, negative social control, domestic violence and the rights of the child.
  • Self-help for Immigrants and Refugees (SEIF) provides assistance to immigrants and refugees. In particular, they assist young people at risk of forced marriage, honour-motivated violence, female genital mutilation and negative social control.
  • Equality, Integration, Diversity (LIM) promotes immigrants’ participation, trust and sense of belonging in Norwegian society. They provide advice and guidance to the public sector on how to identify and avert negative social control. They also give talks at schools about the right to live free lives.

Measure 7: Strengthen the voluntary sector’s efforts against negative social control and honour-motivated violence

Voluntary organisations are instrumental in the efforts against negative social control and honour-motivated violence. For most young people, the volunteer sector is a place to meet friends and engage in leisure activities. For others, it is an important low-threshold service that supports people in making difficult and sometimes life-changing choices for their own future.

Therefore, the Government wants to strengthen the voluntary sector with the aim of increasing inclusion and improving prevention:

  1. There is a need for increased competence and guidance on how voluntary organisations can prevent and address negative social control and honour-motivated violence. In co-operation with voluntary organisations, the Government will develop information material and courses that are accessible to and adapted to the sector.
  2. Through the grant scheme Tilskudd til integreringsarbeid i regi av frivillige organisasjoner [Grants for integration work under the auspices of voluntary organisations ] , organisations can apply for project funding for awareness-raising and preventive efforts against negative social control and honour-motivated violence. The grant scheme was evaluated in 2024, resulting in recommendations related to the design and management of the scheme. The Government will consider the recommendations of the evaluation.

Responsible government ministries: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion, and the Ministry of Culture and Equality

Measure 8: Consider integration grants for resettlement

It is challenging to arrange secondary settlement for victims of violence and threats when this is necessary. The settlement and resettlement of refugees is a voluntary task for the municipalities. When refugees are settled, the municipalities receive an integration grant from the central government for the first five years. It often takes time for refugees subjected to violence and threats to seek help. If large portions of the integration subsidy have already been disbursed, experience shows that many municipalities refuse to agree to relocation. Refugees who relocate within the integration grant period without an agreement forfeit the right to the introduction programme and introduction benefit. If the relocation has not been agreed, the municipality of relocation may reject an application for social services with reference to the responsibility of the municipality of settlement, unless this is clearly unreasonable. When refugees subjected to violence and threats are denied relocation, the consequences are often prolonged stays in shelters and absence from Norwegian language training and the introduction programme.

The Government will consider extending the right to integration grants to municipalities for the resettlement of newly arrived refugees subjected to threats and violence.

Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

Measure 9: Strengthen the co-operation between the expert team and the crisis centre services

Victims of negative social control and honour-motivated violence can come into contact with the crisis centres (shelters) during an acute phase to achieve safety.

The expert team against negative social control and honour-based violence can assist the crisis centres with advice and guidance on how to handle such cases, and offer competence enhancement. Not all crisis centres are aware of the assistance the expert team can offer, or of the National Housing and Support Service for individuals over 18 years of age subjected to negative social control and honour-based violence.

The Government wants to strengthen co-operation between the expert team and the crisis centres in cases involving negative social control and honour-motivated violence. The work will help to clarify how the expert team can assist and co-operate with the crisis centres, including in individual cases.

Responsible government ministries: Ministry of Children and Families, in co-operation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

Measure 10: Strengthen the assistance offered to perpetrators of violence or persons at risk of committing violence and abuse

Services for perpetrators of violence and persons at risk of perpetrating violence are an important part of violence prevention efforts. There is a need to facilitate equal access to support services and to ensure that treatment is adapted so that individuals from different backgrounds can benefit from the services.

The Directorate of Health has developed a national strategy for the health sector’s work with perpetrators of violence and abuse, and is working on follow-up measures. The overall aim of the strategy is to prevent and reduce violence and abuse in the Norwegian population by focusing more on perpetrators of violence and sexual violence.

The Government wants to strengthen the assistance available to persons who perpetrate or are at risk of perpetrating violence and abuse.

Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Health and Care Services

Measure 11: Consider the system of protected address for children in the care of the child welfare services

Protected address is an intrusive measure, especially for children. A number of people have criticised the current system, including that the legislation appears fragmented and inaccessible, and that the use of protected address should be limited. In the autumn of 2024, NOVA submitted an evaluation of protected address (codes 6 and 7) in cases of domestic violence.

The Government has initiated a review of the situation and will consider how the proposals in the evaluation can best be followed up. The county governors have been asked to ensure that all child welfare services are familiar with their responsibilities and the rules of procedure.

Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Children and Families

Box 9: Various networks for knowledge development

Network for knowledge development and competence enhancement

The network will facilitate effective coordination, exchange of experience and co-operation in the efforts against negative social control and honour-motivated violence. It will also contribute to updating relevant guides and resources and ensure that these are disseminated. The network consists of the Directorate of Labour and Welfare (AVdir), the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir), the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), the Directorate of Immigration (UDI), the National Police Directorate (POD), the Directorate of Health (Hdir), the Directorate for Education and Training (Udir) and is led by the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi). The work of the network should be seen in the context of the directorate group on domestic violence, which is led by Bufdir in co-operation with the Central Administration of the National Mediation Service.

Nordic network for combating negative social control and honour-based violence

Regular Nordic network meetings are held at the official level for exchanging experiences and sharing knowledge. The network is led by the Presidency in the Nordic Council of Ministers.

IMDi’s dialogue council for voluntary organisations

The council will be established by IMDi and consist of voluntary organisations from different parts of the country that work against negative social control and honour-motivated violence. The Council is a continuation of the “ Reference Group ” established in the Action Plan Freedom from Negative Social Control and Honour -Based Violence (2021–2024) . The council will provide input to the authorities in the efforts to combat negative social control and honour-motivated violence, and contribute to raising awareness of these efforts.

Measure 12: New knowledge about negative social control and honour-motivated violence for more effective measures

There are still many unknowns regarding negative social control and honour-motivated violence, and the field is constantly evolving. In order to gain a better understanding of the challenges and develop effective measures for the future, we need more knowledge. The Government will facilitate increased knowledge development and research in the field, including through the following projects:

  • a. More knowledge about preventive measures against negative social control and honour-motivated violence
  • The specialised services are important in the efforts against negative social control and honour-motivated violence. They are to prevent, identify and follow up on people at risk, and shall contribute to improving the competence of the service system. In order to lay the foundation for further development of the services, methods will be developed to document the specialised services’ guidance and competence enhancement efforts. It will also be considered how services can best meet the needs and rights of victims.
  • b. Link between negative social control and violence
  • Negative social control is a phenomenon that ranges widely, from mild to severe forms. Few Norwegian studies have so far analysed the relationship between restrictions and negative social control on the part of parents, and violence. The study will examine the relationship between negative social control and violence and how this varies between different groups.
  • c. Autonomy and control over your own life choices in the transition to adulthood
  • The study will investigate the extent to which different groups of young adults with and without an immigrant background experience autonomy, influence and control over their own life choices, for example in relation to education, work, choice of partner, place of residence and starting a family. The study builds on data from The Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study in Norway (CILS-NOR), which has followed a cohort of young people from around the age of 16. They are now in their mid-20s, and in this project, a new survey will be conducted among the same individuals.
  • d. Methods for mapping negative social control in schools
  • Much of the previous research on negative social control has focussed on control exercised by parents, siblings and other family members, but in 2024, the Proba report on negative social control among pupils in a school context provided insight into how negative social control manifests itself among pupils. A project will be initiated to develop methods that can provide regular and updated knowledge about negative social control in schools.
  • e. Parenting in an integration perspective
  • Parenting can be challenging. This is especially true when you are new to a country with different norms and expectations. It is important to know how parents understand and manage their parental role in the context of Norwegian society. A project will be carried out to gather more information about parents’ attitudes, including to social control, and their knowledge of the legal and health consequences of negative social control, honour-motivated violence, female genital mutilation and involuntary stays abroad. The project will also provide knowledge about whether parents feel they receive the necessary support when interacting with relevant services.
  • Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion
  • f. Develop a tool for identifying and protecting adults in vulnerable life situations
  • It is important that employees in the services are able to identify cases of negative social control and honour-motivated violence and assess when it is necessary to report concerns. This can be particularly challenging when interacting with people in vulnerable life situations.
  • The Government will develop a tool to better identify and assess adults in vulnerable life situations who may be subjected to negative social control and honour-motivated violence. The tool will support employees in identifying and assessing whether there is reason to report their concerns about an at-risk adult. A literature review will first be conducted to identify research and experiences from similar tools. The tool will then be developed, tested and adapted as a practical aid for employees in various services, in co-operation with TryggEst municipalities 1 and the expert team angainst negative social control and honour-based violence.
  • Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Culture and Equality, in co-operation with the Ministry of Health and Care Services
  • g. Knowledge gathering on how the child welfare services understand and work with cases of negative social control and honour-motivated violence
  • The work of the child welfare services in cases of violence and abuse places particular demands on a comprehensive understanding of the family’s situation, participation, contact with parents, and interaction with other services.
  • The Government will gather knowledge about how children, young people and families experience their encounters with the child welfare services in cases of negative social control and honour-motivated violence. In addition, the child welfare services’ understanding of and competence on the topic will be highlighted. The research will form part of the knowledge base for further assessment of the services’ needs and possible measures.
  • Responsible government ministries: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion, in co-operation with the Ministry of Children and Families

Measure 13: Strengthen international co-operation to prevent negative social control

Several countries face the same challenges of negative social control and honour-motivated violence, and there is a need for greater cross-border knowledge sharing to learn from each other’s experiences. This will provide a better basis for establishing effective measures.

The Government will

  1. strengthen international co-operation in the field and exchange knowledge about research, statistics and measures with authorities, research institutions and other relevant actors in comparable countries.
  2. further develop the Nordic network of practitioners for competence sharing. The network was established under the previous action plan and consists of representatives from primary services, directorates and voluntary organisations.

Responsible government ministry: Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

Footnotes

1  TryggEst is a simplified and standardised system designed to lower the threshold for reporting violence and abuse. It is designed to help municipalities safeguard at-risk adults and to help prevent, detect and address violence and abuse.
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