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She Witness Podcast
She Witness Podcast episodes
- Episode 7 - Thomas Bennestad on the Criminal Justice System and Process (Norwegian)
A conversation between hosts Claudia Arangua Gonzalez (SWEA - Caritas Norway), and guest Thomas Bennestad on the Norwegian criminal justice system, the process when a victim meets the judicial system and the law on violence in closed relationships, such as rape. Thomas is a solicitor at Oslo District Court/Court of Appeal and works for the law firm Salomon Johansen. He is also a board member of Jurk, a legal free aid service for women and the National Association for PTSD in Norway.
You can watch this podcast episode on our YouTube channel: @witnessprojects
Summary:
- A victim of rape, family violence and sexual assault can have up to 3 hours of free legal aid service.
- Everything spoken to a lawyer is confidential.
- Should one go to the police or not? Many can be anxious, uncomfortable and worried. If you do report to the police then in Thomas’ experience are you safer that way. Especially when it comes to family violence, one often is worried about what will happen.
- Preparation before police reporting: write notes somewhere of what happened so you can use it during reporting, make sketches or drawings of the apartment for example, so have some drawings, you can also have also all the witnesses who you spoke to about the incident – friends, doctor, school mates etc. These can be really good evidence.
- Write a diary or journal is recommended to remember.
- Police reporting process – You can go alone and take an emotional support person to come with you, but that support person can’t be a witness. There will be two cameras and a microphone to record the interview. When the police say don’t lie or else you will be punished, they are just doing their job. With family violence, it is a serious offence. There are two points – relation to the accused abuser and fear of repeated violence as a psychological abuse also considered. After the reporting, you will check over the report/statement. There isn’t much more you need to do. The police lawyer (politiadvokat) will evaluate the case. In most cases, they will be closed and won’t go further in the criminal court. The accused will also have access to the police documents. After you reported, you cannot retract it.
- What happens after your case doesn’t go further and the appeal process. Thomas explains what the court will look like and his recommendations to his clients. All trials are open and, in some cases, the doors can be closed to the public. The accused abuser can also be in another room and not in the same room as the victim.
- The person who experienced violence – what will they experience in the courtroom? If you do not remember well or don’t know – it’s important to say so
- Economic violence and psychological violence in Norwegian law. According to Thomas, the police and court are more focused on physical violence and rape. When it comes to psychological violence, they are great ‘flinke’ but don’t focus on it. A long way to go regarding economic violence. Police don’t have enough resources, unfortunately.
- The fear of losing children when one reports to the police. In Norwegian law, children’s wellbeing at home is focal. The older a child is, they will be able to make more decisions. It is very rare that Child Protection Services (Barnevern) will take away the children unless it is very serious.
- When one abuses the other by saying that they are Norwegian and they will listen over the foreigner; that the foreigner is worthless. These words as Thomas says are empty words. All are handled equally in the justice system.
More info about She Witness - www.witnessprojects.com
For the Norwegian national guide to help services, information and expertise on rape, other sexual abuse and violence in close relationships, go to https://dinutvei.no/en/english/what-is-dinutvei/
1 hr 7 min - Episode 6 - Witness Storyteller Ingrid on Psychological and Economic Abuse
Ingrid shares her own personal experience with violence in close relationships. She moved to Norway with her daughter and her husband at the time and was struggling a lot with the migration process of learning a new culture, new language and new selection of food. She came to understand what she went through with her ex-husband was psychological and economic abuse. Ingrid didn’t get the help she needed from the Norwegian public services such as the women's crisis centre (women’s shelter) and helpline, and felt discriminated against as a foreigner. It took her 3 years to leave her abusive marriage and she now feels a sense of freedom - to eat and cook what she wants.
Trigger warning: Trigger Warning: This episode will discuss a specific person’s experiences with violence in close relationships. This may be triggering to readers and listeners with similar experiences.
More info about She Witness - www.witnessprojects.com
1 hr 22 min - Episode 5 - Ethical Media Reporting on Violence in Close Relationships with Håkon F. Høydal
A conversation between host Ka Man Mak (The Oslo Desk), and guest Håkon F. Høydal (VG) on ethical media reporting on violence in close relationships, online crime and trauma. He talks about how he works with these topics, why setting the abuser in focus is important and what to keep in mind when talking to a journalist to cover your story of abuse.
Håkon is a feature journalist working for the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (VG). Since 2013 he has mainly focused on issues concerning online crime, especially child abuse, often in collaboration with his colleague Einar Otto Stangvik and Natalie R. Hansen. In 2015 they published the three-part documentary ‘The Downloaders’, where they identified men both from Norway and the rest of the world who downloaded child abuse material. The documentary received the prestigious ONA Award in the USA, as well as the first Data-Skup award in Norway. In 2017 they uncovered a police operation on the darknet against the largest child abuse forum, a story that was quoted around the world. Høydal has also covered the drug war in the Philippines, forced marriages of Norwegian girls in Iraq, and the new rise of psychedelics.
More info about She Witness - www.witnessprojects.com
Media Guide for Journalists Covering on Gender-based violence - www.gbvjournalism.org
For the Norwegian national guide to help services, information and expertise on rape, other sexual abuse and violence in close relationships, go to www.dinutvei.no/en/english/what-is-dinutvei
The VO-helpline – the Norwegian National Domestic Violence Helpline 116 006 – is open to anyone affected by domestic violence or abuse. This is a national and free service, open 24 hours.
57 min - Episode 4 - Becky Coleman on Economic Abuse and Power Dynamics in Abusive Relationships
A conversation between hosts Sara Pestana (Humans for Humans), Ka Man Mak (SWEA - Caritas Norway), and guest Becky Coleman on economic abuse and power dynamics in closed relationships. Becky has an educational background in Psychology BSci, Human Rights and Multiculturalism MSci; and had worked in Scotland supporting women and children within the domestic abuse context. She also trained volunteers at Caritas Norge on domestic abuse and worked with the SWEA project.
More info about She Witness - www.witnessprojects.com
Surviving Economic Abuse, a UK charity - survivingeconomicabuse.org
For the Norwegian national guide to help services, information and expertise on rape, other sexual abuse and violence in close relationships, go to www.dinutvei.no/en/english/what-is-dinutvei
The VO-helpline – the Norwegian National Domestic Violence Helpline 116 006 – is open to anyone affected by domestic violence or abuse. This is a national and free service, open 24 hours.
51 min - Episode 3 Teaser 3 - Witness Ka Man's Story - Mother's Violence
Witness storyteller Ka Man talks to Sara Pestana (Humans for Humans) about her own personal experience with domestic abuse and rape. Ka Man describes her journey to escape violence from her mother, how her cultural upbringing impacted her, and why it took her 3-4 years to exit her abusive marriage. Ka Man Mak is the founder and investigative journalist at The Oslo Desk, who reports on immigration, identity, human rights, and violence in closed relationships through the gender and race lens. She also talks about how her personal experiences informed her journalism and advocacy work.
Trigger Warning: This episode will discuss a specific person’s experiences with domestic violence and sexual assault. This may be triggering to readers with similar experiences
For the Norwegian national guide to help services, information and expertise on rape, other sexual abuse and violence in close relationships, go to https://dinutvei.no/en/english/what-is-dinutvei/
The VO-helpline – the Norwegian National Domestic Violence Helpline 116 006 – is open to anyone affected by domestic violence or abuse. This is a national and free service, open 24 hours.
2 min - Episode 3 Teaser 2 - Witness Ka Man's Story - I Don't Want to Be Afraid
Witness storyteller Ka Man talks to Sara Pestana (Humans for Humans) about her own personal experience with domestic abuse and rape. Ka Man describes her journey to escape violence from her mother, how her cultural upbringing impacted her, and why it took her 3-4 years to exit her abusive marriage. Ka Man Mak is the founder and investigative journalist at The Oslo Desk, who reports on immigration, identity, human rights, and violence in closed relationships through the gender and race lens. She also talks about how her personal experiences informed her journalism and advocacy work.
Trigger Warning: This episode will discuss a specific person’s experiences with domestic violence and sexual assault. This may be triggering to readers with similar experiences
For the Norwegian national guide to help services, information and expertise on rape, other sexual abuse and violence in close relationships, go to https://dinutvei.no/en/english/what-is-dinutvei/
The VO-helpline – the Norwegian National Domestic Violence Helpline 116 006 – is open to anyone affected by domestic violence or abuse. This is a national and free service, open 24 hours.
2 min - Episode 3 Teaser 1 - Witness Ka Man's Story - Surviving Sexual Assault
Witness storyteller Ka Man talks to Sara Pestana (Humans for Humans) about her own personal experience with domestic abuse and rape. Ka Man describes her journey to escape violence from her mother, how her cultural upbringing impacted her, and why it took her 3-4 years to exit her abusive marriage. Ka Man Mak is the founder and investigative journalist at The Oslo Desk, who reports on immigration, identity, human rights, and violence in closed relationships through the gender and race lens. She also talks about how her personal experiences informed her journalism and advocacy work.
Trigger Warning: This episode will discuss a specific person’s experiences with domestic violence and sexual assault. This may be triggering to readers with similar experiences
For the Norwegian national guide to help services, information and expertise on rape, other sexual abuse and violence in close relationships, go to https://dinutvei.no/en/english/what-is-dinutvei/
The VO-helpline – the Norwegian National Domestic Violence Helpline 116 006 – is open to anyone affected by domestic violence or abuse. This is a national and free service, open 24 hours.
2 min - Episode 3 - Witness Storyteller Ka Man on Domestic abuse, Sexual assault and Journalism
Witness storyteller Ka Man talks to Sara Pestana (Humans for Humans) about her own personal experience with domestic abuse and rape. Ka Man describes her journey to escape violence from her mother, how her cultural upbringing impacted her, and why it took her 3-4 years to exit her abusive marriage. Ka Man Mak is the founder and investigative journalist at The Oslo Desk, who reports on immigration, identity, human rights, and violence in closed relationships through the gender and race lens. She also talks about how her personal experiences informed her journalism and advocacy work.
Trigger Warning: This episode will discuss a specific person’s experiences with domestic violence and sexual assault. This may be triggering to readers with similar experiences
For the Norwegian national guide to help services, information and expertise on rape, other sexual abuse and violence in close relationships, go to https://dinutvei.no/en/english/what-is-dinutvei/
The VO-helpline – the Norwegian National Domestic Violence Helpline 116 006 – is open to anyone affected by domestic violence or abuse. This is a national and free service, open 24 hours.
More on Ka Man Mak's work: https://kaman.portfoliobox.net/
1 hr 6 min - Episode 2 Teaser 4 - How to spot the signs and frontline workers
This is a teaser for episode 2.
A conversation between hosts Sara Pestana (Humans for Humans), Inas Vasty (SWEA - Caritas Norway), and guest Becky Coleman, a volunteer at SWEA with a professional background in psychology, human rights and multiculturalism. In this episode, we discuss the multiple forms of violence, and answer the questions:
- How to spot the signs?
- What could women do in this situation?
- What do social workers get wrong, and what they could do?
- What are the power dynamics in foreign and native partners?
- How do perpetrators appear outside of relationships?
Reach out to [email protected] for help.
Visit Women Crisis Centre in Norway: https://www.krisesenter.com/finn-ditt-krisesenter/
Visit Caritas Norge: https://www.caritas.no/aupairactivites/Visit Humans for Humans: https://humansfor.org/services3 min - Episode 2 Teaser 3 - Tips and advice
This is a teaser for episode 2.
A conversation between hosts Sara Pestana (Humans for Humans), Inas Vasty (SWEA - Caritas Norway), and guest Becky Coleman, a volunteer at SWEA with a professional background in psychology, human rights and multiculturalism. In this episode, we discuss the multiple forms of violence, and answer the questions:
- How to spot the signs?
- What could women do in this situation?
- What do social workers get wrong, and what they could do?
- What are the power dynamics in foreign and native partners?
- How do perpetrators appear outside of relationships?
Reach out to [email protected] for help.
Visit Women Crisis Centre in Norway: https://www.krisesenter.com/finn-ditt-krisesenter/
Visit Caritas Norge: https://www.caritas.no/aupairactivites/Visit Humans for Humans: https://humansfor.org/services5 min
About She Witness Podcast
From the publisher's feed
A collaboration between The Oslo Desk, Social Women´s Empowering Act powered by Caritas Norway and Humans for Humans to tackle gender violence in Norway.