LOKK is a Danish national non-governmental organisation of shelters for battered women and children established in 1987. We work to prevent and and combat physical and psychological violence against women and their children using the following measures:

¨ strengthen, coordinate and support the work of the shelters and the cooperation between them

¨ cooperate with shelters, partners and other NGOs on a national, European and international level;

¨ negotiate and cooperate with national authorities on relevant matters, particularly to secure appropriate funding;

¨ ensure a constant and qualified debate in the media and general public.

LOKK runs both internal and external seminars and conferences and publicises relevant material and statistics. LOKK furthermore seeks to influence governmental authorities to make appropriate legislative protection for women and children. LOKK has also established seven working groups, which work within specialised areas of interest. These are, ethnic women, children, women’s rights, public relations, statistics, best practice and international networks.

LOKKs board was established in 1995, while its secretariat was established in 2000. Today LOKK has 32 shelters as members. The secretariat can be contacted at secretariat@lokk.dk. For further information please refer to our web page at www.lokk.dk.

Our address is:

LOKK

Applebys Plads 7.3.

DK-1411 København K

Denmark

2. Titles of texts

Dybtved, Kirsten. (2002). L.O.K.K. årsstatistik 2001. Esbjerg: Formidlingscentret for socialt Arbejde. A short summary of LOKK statistics 2001 is available in English at www.lokk.dk

Behrens, Hanne Lilholt. (2002). 5230 børn på krisecenter – en deskriptiv undersøgelse. Esbjerg: Formidlingscentret for socialt Arbejde. A summary of 5230 children at crisis centers in Denmark in English is available at www.formidlingscentret.dk.

Behrens, Hanne Lilholt & Raal, Kirsten. (1999). Kortlægning. Kvinder og børn fra etniske minoriteter på krisecentre. Esbjerg: Formidlingscentret for socialt Arbejde.

Eriksson, M. & Hester, M.(2001). Violent men as good enough fathers? Journal of Violence against women, 7, 779-798.

3. Contact details for organisations working on the topic

These should be listed below on the individual websites.

4. Website references

National

www.voldmodkvinder.dk 

www.kvinderaad.dk 

www.kvindesamfund.dk 

www.kvinfo.dk 

Nordic

www.krisesenter.com 

www.roks.se 

International

www.womenlobby.org 

www.wave-network.org 

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/ 

The Danish government’s action plan to stop violence against women was launched 8th March 2002. It contains both short and long-term targets and practical recommendations for tackling violence against women. The governmental authorities responsible for the action plan are: Department of Gender Equality, see website www.lige.dk , Ministry of Social Affairs, see website www.sm.dk, and Ministry of Justice, see website www.jm.dk. 

The action plan can be downloaded in English from the Danish Department of Gender Equality’s website: http://ligestillinguk.itide.dk/

From LOKKs perspective the launch of the government’s action plan is seen as a positive and highly needed step towards tackling violence against women. A problem which before had been resided to the private sphere, has now for the first time been placed by governmental authorities on the public agenda. Such developments should make it easier for women’s shelters to secure the necessary support and counselling for the victims and work on preventive and follow-up activities.

It is worth mentioning that some critics are sceptical of the government’s action plan. This is mainly due to the narrow definition of violence and its focus on tackling violence in the family. Other sceptics have mentioned the lack of focus on the needs of children in families subjected to violence and the worry that inadequate economic funding would prevent the plan from being fully implemented.

LOKK

National Organisation of Shelters

Applebys Plads 7, 3.

DK-1411 København K

tlf:+ 45 32 95 90 19 fax:+ 45 32 95 90 69