Intimate Partner Violence – We Have to Step Up!

Intimate partner violence (IPV) represents one of the most significant threats to global public health – and for many, it is a threat to life itself (Justitsministeriet, 2024; World Health Organization (WHO), 2024; NOU, 2020:17). The violence can be expressed in many ways: physical, psychological and sexual (WHO, 2025). According to the WHO, one in three women has experienced violence or sexual abuse, often at the hands of an intimate partner. Men are also victims of intimate partner violence, though due to the compounded stigma associated with gender expectations, it is widely underreported (Dale et al., 2003; 2019; Sogn & Hjemdal, 2009). The most severe and fatal cases of IPV, however, are perpetrated against women. Tragically, for women the most dangerous place to be is still at home (Brå, 2024; Dale et al., 2003). Many children who are exposed to this violence are deeply traumatized by it, which affects their development and psychological well-being throughout their lives (Felitti, 1993; Knight & Hester, 2016; Kirkengen, 2010; WHO, 2025). Violence exerts its power through fear, trauma, and lasting psychological scars – and its impact often persists across generations. The consequences are profound, encompassing substance abuse, shame, depression, anxiety, health complications, and social exclusion.

To effectively combat IPV, it is essential that abuse and violence is identified and openly discussed, and that victims feel empowered to speak out. Nordic countries have invested considerable resources in addressing this issue through awareness campaigns, policy frameworks, enhanced police capacity, and the legal system in order to prosecute offenders and support victims (Government of Sweden, 2024; Justis og beredskapsdepartementet, 2023; Riksadvokaten: 3/2008;2/2023; Regeringen, 2024).

Nevertheless, progress remains limited. Despite an increase in the number of reported incidents, clearance remains worryingly low (Riksrevisjonen, 2022). Few victims pursue legal action, and among those who do, only a small fraction is vindicated in court (Riksrevisjonen, 2022). For many, the experience reinforces the perception that speaking out does not lead to meaningful change. On the other hand, international and Nordic research over the years has highlighted that most victims do not seek prosecution – they simply want the violence to stop (Bakketeig & Dullum, 2019). For many women, the legal process adds further strain (Grøvdal, 2019). This emphasizes the need for a more complex understanding of what really works when it comes to stopping the violence (Saur & Grøvdal, 2019).

This special edition of the Nordic Journal of Studies in Policing publishes four new Nordic research articles on police efforts to investigate and prevent intimate partner violence. The articles focus on topics like the importance of phenomenological insights, trust-building collaborations between victims and institutions who can support the victims, interventions to halt offenders, and the use of new technology to support investigation.

Changing structures in societies and emerging technologies create new challenges, as violence increasingly occurs online and “intimacy” becomes a tool for exploitation. This highlights society’s responsibility to protect and support those affected by violence. Intimate partner violence does not occur in isolation; it is also shaped by economic and political structures, and by the way our society is organized. One of the articles, “Online Romance Fraud as a Form of Emotional and Economic Partner Violence: A Social-Ecological Framework of Enabling Factors”, sheds light on how online romance fraud – a growing form of crime – encompasses the same psychological dynamics we see in domestic violence: distortion of the victim’s reality, economic abuse, isolation, fear and threats. The article analyses how high-income Nordic societies, where many more middle-class women are living alone and seeking love with use of technology and online dating, offer opportunities for criminal exploitation. The author discusses how our society can prevent this kind of exploitation. First we need knowledge about the phenomenon; the individual-level characteristic, the dynamic of the grooming process involved, and the underlying patterns and culture dynamics in action. The article highlights the importance of the police considering this a serious criminal offence, being able to recognize the risk, and cooperating with those institutions that have the ability to provide security – such as economic institutions and partner agencies – so as to quality-assure digital tools, protect victims, and prevent abuse.

To succeed in preventing IPV, the police needs to seek to understand the scope of the phenomenon. The police’s work must be grounded in research and knowledge-based strategies. Key to this is knowledge, rapid response, victim protection, prevention of recurrence, and interagency collaboration. Victim participation seems crucial, and the articles highlights the value of dialogue in building trust and support in the first step of investigation. The article “Intimate Partner Violence: Conflicts of Priority in Police Practice” particularly emphasizes that without victim participation, successful prosecution and improved clearance rates are unlikely. The dynamics between victim and perpetrator, as well as the impact of victim cooperation in the initial investigation, are found to be critical, as is the need to improve the overall investigation process. This is a reality that demands innovative solutions.

The articles raise crucial overarching questions about how the police might deal with victims and their perpetrators, and how the police can cooperate with other key actors and institutions to effectively prevent further violence and provide support that enables victims to safely escape abusive situations. This question should also be considered in light of the substantial influx of reported cases and the need to prioritize the initial stages of investigation.

The use of systemic and structural measures and methods is still not widespread, allowing the violence to persist. In Norway, an evaluation of SARA concluded that structural and organizational challenges render the instrument inadequate (Pedersen, et al., 2025). The problem is not one of the instrument in itself, but of how the work is organized. We need procedures and interventions that ensure that victims receive effective support so that the cycle of violence is broken. In the Nordic context nearly half of all fatal violence against women is preceded by threats or warnings, and many perpetrators have previously been reported for acts of violence. Failures in investigative processes – such as prematurely closing cases and neglecting early reports – merely underscore systemic weaknesses.

The article “Turning Legal Obligations into Safety: Norway’s Police Risk Assessment System for IPV under Article 51/C” argues for bolstering frontline police officers’ scope for action and decision-making during the initial steps of an investigation. One method is to use technology in the police’s first face-to-face meetings with the victim. This initial stage has been found to be the most crucial for providing opportunities to investigate further. The author argues for incorporating practice and knowledge from already established systems, such as SARA, and strengthening the work by providing more knowledge and tools during the initial investigation. This moment – face to face, with dialogue, building trust and support – and the decisions made at this level are crucial to furthering the investigation and process. This moment cannot be put on hold until the experts arrive. It is also important to distinguish the severity in the initial investigation, and follow-up perpetrators of violence. The article “Implementing Focused Deterrence for Intimate Partner Violence: The SRFV Project in Malmö”, highlights the need for strategies based on focused deterrence to motivate and stop the perpetrators. The article refers to a project in which violent offenders were monitored by the police and other authorities, highlighting positive outcomes in terms of repeat violence.

Taken together, the articles shed new light on how the police organization, with the police officers in front, together with experts and other significant institutions, can collaborate to become more effective in investigating violence. Overall, the principle takeaway is: We have to step up!