The Swedish Sami Parliament (Sametinget) and the County Administrative Boards of Sweden’s four northernmost counties have asked the government to expand their responsibilities to address violence against Sami women. They made this request in a letter to Sweden’s Minister for Gender Equality, Paulina Brandberg.
“This is an important issue for the government,” Brandberg said in a comment to SVT Sápmi.
What the Statistics Say
This request follows a 2024 report called Våld mot samiska kvinnor (“Violence Against Sami Women”), created by researchers from Umeå University at Sametinget’s request. The report revealed shocking numbers:
- 50% of Sami women surveyed said they had experienced sexual violence.
- 70% reported psychological violence.
- Nearly 33% said they were victims of physical violence.
The report also highlighted a major concern: Sami women often stay in harmful relationships because they fear losing their ties to Sami culture and community.
A Public Health Problem
Sametinget and the administrative boards argue that violence against Sami women is a serious public health issue. They also point out that Swedish institutions lack the cultural knowledge needed to properly support Sami women.
“No organization is fully responsible for addressing violence against Sami women, even though multiple agencies are partially involved,” they wrote in their letter.
Suggested Solutions
Based on the findings of the report, Sametinget and the administrative boards are proposing several actions:
- Give Sametinget More Responsibility: Let Sametinget lead and coordinate efforts to fight violence against Sami women.
- Create a National Plan: Have the administrative boards work with Sametinget to develop a plan of action and provide training.
- Provide Funding: Allocate financial support to Sami organizations working to prevent violence and to implement these solutions.
How the Government Responded
Minister Brandberg recognized the importance of this issue. She confirmed that she met with Sametinget representatives in the fall to discuss the report. As a result, the government extended Sametinget’s mandate to address violence against Sami women through 2025.
Earlier this year, the government also directed the Swedish Gender Equality Agency (Jämställdhetsmyndigheten) to address men’s violence against women, with a focus on national minorities.
