Domestic abuse is when someone related or connected to you, like a parent, step-parent, adult sibling, or a guardian, hurts you or your family.
Domestic abuse doesn't necessarily have to happen at your home. It can also happen when you're traveling or in other places. Sometimes people who are involved live together, but they don't have to. The abuse can be many different things, for example, physical, sexual, or emotional. It is also abuse if you are forced to witness abuse in your home.
If someone in your family is being abusive towards you or someone else in the family, you should tell someone. Then you can get help. According to the law, adults should look after children and let child protective services know if something is wrong.
It's good to find an adult you feel comfortable talking to. If you want to talk to someone other than your family, you could talk to:
Sjúkt spjall (Sick Chat) is an anonymous online chat for young people of all genders (under 25 years old) to discuss concerns about relationships, communication, or abuse.
It's enough to say this to someone you trust.
At Child protection services, people work with helping children and families to make sure children feel good and are safe. The police and Child protection services work together to stop abuse and make sure children are safe.
The police always lets Child Protection Services know if there's a suspicion of abuse in a home where a child lives. A person from Child Protection Services will be with you through the whole process in the legal system to look after your rights and safety.
The legal system is one term for the police, the prosecution (prosecutors or police chiefs), and the courts. When domestic abuse is reported to the police, an investigation takes place. Then, the prosecution decides whether the case will be sent to the courts.
When a child is involved in a case, a person from Child protection services always comes to look after the child.
Those who experience domestic abuse get a free lawyer called a legal rights protector. This person helps victims with their case in the legal system.
This guide tries to explain what happens in the legal system for children (under 18 years old).
When the police find out about domestic abuse, they investigate the matter.
Some things in the laws are different for children, young people, and adults.
When the police investigation is finished, a decision is made about whether to charge someone in the case or drop it.
When the prosecutor has issued a charge, the case is brought before the district court. This is called a trial.
A verdict is usually given within a month of the trial.
When the verdict is given, all sorts of feelings can come up.
