Raped women in Norway do not have adequate legal protection Raha Moafi
We meet desperate women who choose to persevere in violent relationships, for fear of losing their residence permit, writes Raha Moafi in this post.
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According to the current regulations, the residence requirement, in cases of permanent residence permit, is three years for some groups, and five years for other groups. Where for some this will be a completely legitimate demand, for others it will be a completely unbearable one.
Can be granted residence on an independent basis
In cases where women have come to Norway on the basis of family immigration, their residence permit is dependent on another person. For some women, it may mean that they chooses to stand by whatever happens, even violence, in order to still have his residence permit, and thus being able to claim the residence requirement later. These women are not only subjected to physical abuse, but also psychological; the spouse can always threaten to divorce them.
For many women, there is hope that they may be able to obtain residence on an independent basis. Hshow that you have been to Norway for family immigration with your spouse or cohabitant, and yourself or the children have been mistreated in the relationship, you can get a new residence permit. This is what is called residence on an independent basis.
Give women exposed to violence adequate legal protection
The problem is that this is a provision that does not provide enough for women who are subjected to violence. The threshold for requiring these residence conditions to be granted is low, but is practiced today very strongly. Women in abusive relationships do not stay believed. In 2016, the rejection rate for applications under the mistreatment provision was 36% [Prop. 68 L (2017–2018), tabell nummer 3.1]. When it is known that so many applications are rejected, the relationship breaks down before the women know anything if they are allowed to stay in the country on an independent basis, far too great a risk
The time is overdue for Norway to give women exposed to violence adequate legal protection
In our case management, we see desperate women who choose to persevere in violent and oppressive conditions, for fear of losing their residence permit. Moreover, few women are aware of this basis for residence, which reinforces the idea of remaining in the violent relationship. In other words, the legal security of women exposed to violence without an independent residence permit is not adequately safeguarded in Norway.
The time is overdue for Norway to give women exposed to violence adequate legal protection. It is therefore important that a residence permit on an independent basis serves the purpose for which it is intended, and that the practice in the area must be changed.
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