Forced marriage is when a person has not agreed to marry but does so to gain benefits for themselves or the oppressor. This is human trafficking because someone benefits from what the person is exploited to do. 

You are threatened with violence or other means to marry someone you do not want to marry.

You are forced to marry someone who benefits by getting a esidential permit or citizenship.

You did not know you were getting married.

You cannot talk about your marriage with others

You were promised a residential permit, citizenship, or money in exchange for getting married. 

Somebody else benefits from you marrying without your will.

In Iceland, both women and men have the right to choose who they wish to marry, they decide for themselves who their future spouse will be. No one may be forced into marriage.

Are you in a forced marriage? Contact 112 and get help.

The methods of exploiters are well known. If you recognize the symptoms and methods of human trafficking, you increase the possibility of dissolving it.

Notify in advance if you need wheelchair accessibility

The Women‘s shelter offers counseling and a safe place to stay for any woman who has experienced abuse in a close relationship.

The Women's Shelter is a house where women and their children can reside for a short period if they cannot live at home due to abuse or violence. If you have been subjected to abuse, you can come to the shelter for counseling; you do not have to reside in the shelter. It doesn't matter when the abuse occurred. There is no cost for speaking to a counselor.

The counselors speak English; you can also request to speak with a French or Spanish fluent counselor. For other languages, you can get an interpreter. You can also get a sign language interpreter if you need. 

The Women's Shelter is located in Reykjavik and Akureyri, and serves the need of women all over the country. 

You can call the Women’s Shelter 24 hours a day at their phone number 561 1205 for immediate support or you can make an appointment with a counselor through their website. You can also send them an email to kvennaathvarf@kvennaathvarf.is. All women are welcome: Icelandic, foreign, disabled, queer, trans or of any age (over 18).

Icelandic, English. Language and Sign Language interpretation

The Women‘s Shelter offers counseling and a safe place to stay for any woman who has experienced abuse in a close relationship. 

Call and inform us if you use a wheelchair. 

The Women's Shelter in Akureyri offers counseling and a safe place to stay for women who experience abuse in a close relationship.

The counselors speak English; you can also request to speak with a French or Spanish fluent counselor. For other languages, you can get an interpreter. You can also get a sign language interpreter if you need. The shelter is not wheelchair accessible, but if you use a wheelchair, you can book a meeting with them at Bjarmahlíð. If you need shelter, you will get a wheelchair accessible hotel room.

You can reach the Women’s Shelter for support around the clock, the phone number is 561 1205. You can also send them an email to kvennaathvarf[hjá]kvennaathvarf.is. All women are welcome: Icelandic, foreign, disabled, queer, trans or of any age (over 18).

Icelandic, English. Language and sign language interpreters.

The Women's Shelter offers counseling and a safe place to stay for any woman who has experienced abuse in a close relationship.

112 operators will connect you to the police if you need assistance because of abuse or violence.

In Iceland, the police enjoy a high level of trust from residents, and people may safely approach the police if they believe that they have been the victim of an offence or violence. The Icelandic police works according to law and seeks to help everyone living in Iceland, irrelevant of whether they are Icelandic citizens or not. The Icelandic police does not have special connection to the police in your home country.

Abuse in close relationships is a matter of a priority for the police. It is possible to call, send a text message to 112 or contact them through the webchat. You can also go to the nearest police station.

If you have suffered any form of abuse you can also talk to a police officer at Bjarkarhlíð in Reykjavík or Bjarmahlíð in Akureyri. It can be more comfortable to go there. There is no pressure to press charges. Everything is done according to your wishes.

Immigrants have a right to get an interpreter when dealing with the police and in court.​ The institution in question should pay for the interpreter. ​You need to ask for an interpreter yourself with notice. Don’t be afraid to say you need the service. It’s your right.

The police helps everyone living in Iceland

Emergency, 112, calling, call, accident, violence, disaster, distress, iceland, icelandic helpline, police, fire, ambulance, human trafficking, axiety, call for help, assistance, sexual harrassment, emergency call, security, police officer, get help

The police in Iceland help people who have suffered abuse of any kind. Police see abuse in close relationships as a very serious matter. 

Honor-based abuse is when someone, usually a close relative, inflicts abuse on you to protect the honor of the family, for example forcing you to marry. When honor is set above your human rights, that is abuse.

Sexual exploitation is when a person benefits from selling access to another person's body.

If a person is forced to marry to benefit from it themselves or the other one, for example, to gain a residential permit or citizenship, it is human trafficking and is called forced marriage. 

þvingað hjónaband, þvinguð hjónabönd, nauðungarhjónaband, forced marriage

Nauðungarhjónaband, þvingað hjónaband, þvinguð hjónabönd

Forced marriage

What is a forced marriage?

More information

Know the methods of exploiters

Available support

Women's Shelter

Women's Shelter in Akureyri

Police

Honor based abuse

Sexual exploitation