Domestic violence reported to the Police

Who Reports to the Police?

Survivors often struggle to report someone who is a family member or close to them. It is still important to report the crime to the police and get assistance, whether or not you have decided to press charges. This helps the case move forward if you decide later to press charges. Child protection or social services staff can also file charges against the perpetrator.

The police can continue investigating the case even if no charges are pressed. If you do not want the investigation to continue, the police will take that into consideration and it can be reopened when you are ready to proceed. When the crimes are very serious, the police often continue the investigation in order to stop the violence.

It is important that the perpetrator is held accountable for their actions and stops the abuse. If you are in immediate danger, it is best to call 112.

Police arrives at the scene

It is common for the police to be called to the scene when domestic violence occurs. If the police determine that a crime has been committed, a specific procedure for domestic violence cases will be initiated, whether you intend to press charges or not. A detective will be called to the scene and an investigation will begin.

Often, the perpetrator is removed from the scene, for a few hours up to a day. In more serious cases, the perpetrator may be arrested or it will be assessed whether it is necessary to remove them from the home for a longer period. This depends on the nature of the crime and the circumstances.

Support at the Scene

• You will be offered the assistance of a social worker on-site, who will provide resources and advice. Accepting this offer can be an important support.
• If a child is present at the scene, a social worker from child protection services will always come to support you, and they will speak with the child to ensure their interests are protected. Outside of the capital area, it is often the same person who works both roles.
• If there is a child in the home or involved in the situation, a report will be sent to child protection services. In the capital area, a social worker from social services will also be sent to the scene.
• The perpetrator will be informed about possible resources, such as Heimilisfriður.
• If needed, an interpreter will be called. Efforts are made to have an interpreter on-site, but sometimes phone interpretation is used. Close relatives are not allowed to interpret for the survivor or the perpetrator.
• You can be driven to a healthcare facility if you wish.
  

Police report

The investigating police officer will interview you about your experience of the crime. The police's role is to find the truth in the case, and your account is crucial.

A report will be taken from both you and the perpetrator separately on-site. Sometimes neighbors may be contacted to provide statements. You may find the police's questions strange, but they are asked in the context of the investigation.

If the perpetrator is arrested, a statement is often taken from them the next day.

Follow-Up

The police will follow up on the case in cooperation with social services and child protection, if they were on-site, through a phone call or a visit.

The police will assess on-site whether there is a risk of continued violence, such as from new injuries or threats to kill, and whether follow-up is needed through a phone call or visit. The social worker will do the same with a phone call. If either party believes there is still a threat, they will make a visit to assess the situation, typically within 10 days.

If a social worker was at the scene, you will receive a phone call from social services as soon as possible after the incident to offer support and counseling and to check whether the situation has changed. If you already have a case with social services, your social worker will be informed and follow up. Otherwise, the case will be directed to social services in your area.

Reporting violence at a healthcare institution

When you go to a healthcare institution anywhere in the country, you can mention domestic violence to a staff member, and you will be attended to as quickly as possible. At Landspítali (The National University Hospital of Iceland), there is a domestic violence team that provides trauma support and assistance with filing a report. Their services are provided at healthcare institutions throughout the country.

You can speak with a police officer on-site and receive a legal rights protection officer, whether you have decided to file a report or not. If the police assess that a criminal offense has occurred, they can initiate an investigation and file charges. Read more about assistance at healthcare institutions in Step 1.

Contacting the police when there is no immediate danger

Whether the violence is ongoing or not, you can talk to the police for advice or to file a report. It does not matter if the offense occurred in Iceland or abroad.

It is a criminal offense to commit violence against another person. If you mention a specific offense, the police will investigate the matter. If there is not enough evidence to proceed with the case, the report can still strengthen it later.

Advice from the police

You can always contact the police for advice. You can speak with a police officer at victim support centers and at emergency rooms or healthcare institutions across the country. You can also contact the police through the 112 online chat or by directly contacting a specific police district.

• You do not need to mention a specific offense.
• You can mention a specific offense that you or someone you know has experienced.
• It does not matter how long ago the offense occurred.
• It does not matter whether the offense has been reported or not.
• It also does not matter whether there are plans to report the offense or not.

At a victim support center

At victim support centers, you can speak with a police officer, whether you want advice or want to file a report.

At a reporting reception

If you want to report domestic violence, you can book an appointment at a reporting reception on the police website and get an appointment on the same day or the next day. You can report the offense to the police anywhere in the country; it does not have to be where the offense occurred. The handling of domestic violence cases is the same everywhere in the country and is always a priority for the police.

You identify yourself with electronic credentials, then fill out the electronic form and submit it.

Read more about the reporting reception.

Reporting an offense that happened a long time ago

You can always contact the police and report an offense. If the case has not reached the statute of limitations, it will go to an investigator who will examine it thoroughly.

However, the longer it has been since the offense, the more difficult it can be to obtain important evidence in the case. There may be missing data, making it difficult to investigate the matter.

Sometimes a case has reached the statute of limitations, which means that according to the law, too much time has passed since the offense occurred for it to be prosecuted. However, you can always report the offense to the police and give a statement. Some survivors find this liberating, and it helps them overcome the trauma.

Accountability through the justice system

Going through the legal system is the best way to hold the perpetrator accountable. It is good to know that investigation and legal proceedings take time, and the journey can be difficult.

• Even though the case is investigated, it is not certain that it will go to court. This depends on the available evidence and how likely the prosecution believes it is that the case can be proven.
• If the case goes to court, it also cannot be guaranteed that the perpetrator will be found guilty. However, this is not a confirmation of their innocence or that the courts do not find your testimony credible, but rather that there is not enough evidence to prove the offense according to the law.

Punishment

The perpetrator may be convicted, and the conviction will be entered on their criminal record. The conviction will be visible on a personal criminal record certificate for 5 years and on a criminal record certificate for public authorities for 10 years. The perpetrator usually also has to pay you compensation and legal costs. You may be entitled to compensation even if the case is dropped.

The punishment for the perpetrator is receiving this conviction. The aim of serving the sentence, for example, imprisonment, is to prevent the person from re-offending.