Domestic abuse is when the person who inflicts the abuse is related to you or close to you. For example someone in your family or a romantic partner. Watching others in your home being abused is also abuse.

Domestic abuse can be physical, psychological, sexual or neglect, to give a few examples.

No one should have to live with abuse. It’s best to tell an adult you trust.

Sóley is a 13-year-old girl who grew up with domestic abuse. Here she describes what it was like. She has now moved to another home with her mom. Today, she is safe and happy.

Sóley er 13 ára stelpa frá Reykjavík sem ólst upp við heimilisofbeldi frá fæðingu til 11 ára aldurs. Hún upplifði ofbeldi af hendi föður og þekkti því ekki aðrar heimilisaðstæður fyrr en hún flutti með móður sinni og eldri bróður á annað heimili þar sem þau hafa byggt upp nýtt líf í öryggi. Fjölskyldan leitaði aðstoðar og stuðnings hjá neyðarlínunni: 112, lögreglu, Kvennaathvarfsins og víðar. Það tók Sóley aðeins nokkra mánuði að upplifa frelsi við að vera laus við ofbeldið. Í þessu myndbandi deilir Sóley sögu sinni og mikilvægi þess að leita sér hjálpar og ræða um ofbeldið.

jafnretti.is/von

SÓLEY

The Sick Love Chat is an anonymous online chat venue where young people can voice their worries about their relationships, communication or violence. The chat is intended for people under the age of 20 of all genders. The website is only in Icelandic. Click the green button in the right corner on their website to open the chat.

In the chat you'll be connected with SickLove consultants who are trained by Stígamót to support you and provide information about various things related to communication and violence. You enter the chat on your own terms and you do not have to enter your name or other personal information.  

It doesn't matter whether the violence or the toxic communication happened recently or long time ago. You can always chat. The aim is to help you understand what happened, help you feel better and provide you with support to take the next step. 

The chat is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings between 8 and 10.

The Sick love chat is an anonymous chat for young people who seek advice about their relationships, communication or violence.

You can always call 1717. Full confidentiality and anonymity is guaranteed.

You can call 1717 or talk on their webchat if you want to talk to someone. The volunteers are professionally trained, well-experienced and from all walks of life. You can contact them regarding any issue causing you concern. You can get emotional support, counseling, helpful information or just someone to listen. Both the phone and webchat are free of cost.

When you sign into the webchat, you will be prompted to register a name and email, but you do not need to register your real name or email.

Here are some examples of matters you can talk about:

If you need someone to talk to or need information about where to find help, please do not hesitate to get in touch. If you do not speak fluent Icelandic, you can request to speak English or Polish.

Free of Cost - Confidential – Always Open

The Red Cross Helpline 1717 is a phone service and webchat for those who need someone to talk to in confidentiality. They are open 24 hours, and it's free to call.

Child Protection Services help all children so they can live in acceptable conditions. Report anything you witness or know of to 112.

All children have the right to a secure environment and to be protected against exploitation, abuse, harassment and discrimination. Child Protection Services help children and support families in any way possible to provide the best environment for children.

If you think a child is neglected or abused in any way, it is your duty to notify Child Protective Services. Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a child in Iceland, including unborn babies. You should notify about negligence, incompetence or parent's behaviour towards the child. It can also be about harassment or violence of others towards a child. Do not rely on others to report. 

You can report to Child Protective Services by calling 112 or using the webchat. You can also call your local Child protective service. You need to provide your name but you can always request that your name is kept confidential. Children can also contact authorities themselves. If the child lives in Reykjavík, you can call Reykjavík Child Protective Services at 4119200 weekdays from 8:20 am-16:15 pm or send a notification through their website. Some other municipalities also allow you to file a report online, such as Akureyri, Hafnarfjörður, Kópavogur and Garðabær.

Child protection service committees in each municipality help children who exist in unacceptable living conditions and provide support for families.

Sexual abuse is when someone makes you do something sexual that you don’t want to do, touches you, or harasses you in a sexual way.

If someone related to you or close to you inflicts abuse on you, that is called domestic abuse or intimate partner violence.

Domestic abuse

What is domestic abuse?

Get help

A story about domestic abuse

Get help

The Sick Love Chat

1717

Child Protection Services

Sexual abuse