Last spring, the report “Violence against Sami women” was released. It had been developed by a research group at Umeå University on behalf of the Sami Parliament.
Half of the Sami women who answered the researchers’ questions had been subjected to sexual violence. Seven out of ten had been subjected to psychological violence and almost one in three to physical violence.
In addition, the report expressed concern that Sami women remain longer in a destructive relationship. The women may be afraid of losing their Sámi connection.
Serious health problem
It is against the background of that report that the Sami Parliament and the county administrative boards in the four northernmost counties have now sent a letter to Minister for Gender Equality Paulina Brandberg.
They refer to the report and state that violence against Sami women is a serious health problem. A health problem that also risks being exacerbated by the fact that on the Swedish side there are large gaps in knowledge about Sami culture and how a Sami woman needs to be treated.
“No actor has overall responsibility for the issue of violence against Sami women, even if the issue is included as part of several authorities’ missions,” they write.
Hoping for funding
In the report, the researchers propose that the Sámi Parliament should be tasked with pursuing the issue. And that is exactly what the county administrations and the Sami Parliament are now also requesting.
They want the Sámi Parliament to follow up and coordinate the work. The county administrations wish to be tasked with developing an action plan in collaboration with the Sami Parliament and implementing training initiatives.
They want the government to finance the work. In addition, they want funds to be added to, among other things, Sami organizations that work to counteract violence against Sami women.
The Minister: Important question
In a written comment to SVT Sápmi, Gender Equality Minister Paulina Brandberg describes this as an important issue for the government.
She notes that during the autumn she met with representatives from the Sami Parliament to discuss the report. The government has subsequently extended the Sámi Parliament’s mandate to combat men’s violence against Sámi women during 2025.
“I also want to mention that earlier this year the government tasked the Equality Authority with working with men’s violence against women,” writes the minister.
That work is done in dialogue with, among others, the Sami Parliament and focuses on the national minorities.