The shelter is open 24 hours a day for women and children who need to come to us for a stay.
If you suspect domestic violence is taking place, I should call 112
Here are common questions about the Women's Shelter and their answers.
What is the Women's Shelter?
It is a refuge for women who cannot live at home due to violence. They can bring their children with them. The violence can take many forms and the perpetrator is usually someone close to them, such as a spouse, parent, sibling or child. The women's refuge is also a place where you can book an interview without coming to stay. You can call and get advice and support regarding violence 24 hours a day.
Does it cost to come for a stay or have an interview?
No, it doesn't cost anything.
What services are available at the Women's Shelter?
Whether you live in the shelter or come for an interview, you can receive support and advice as well as information about where to turn next. Some women want information, for example about the nature of the violence, the divorce process or how to take the next steps, while others need more support to process the consequences of the violence. While women live in the shelter, they are helped to take the next steps, whatever they may be.
The shelter is open 24 hours a day, all year round. The women who work there have a wide range of qualifications and extensive experience working with victims of violence. They can provide a variety of information and emotional support.
Is it only for women fleeing violence?
Yes, the Women's Shelter is for women who are fleeing violence. We have found it important to note that the shelter is for all kinds of women; lesbian and trans women, women with children and also for women who do not have children, Icelandic women and foreign women and women who have not been subjected to physical violence.
It is also best to note that women are not allowed to use alcohol or drugs in the shelter.
The shelter is also for disabled women but unfortunately does not have wheelchair access, but both the shelter in Reykjavík and Akureyri have facilities for women who use wheelchairs or other assistive devices.
Can women live in the Women's Shelter and have their children with them?
Yes. On average, there are over 20 people living in the shelter per day, women and children. It is important that children do not have to live with violence because it can have a lasting impact on the well-being, behavior and general life of the children. It is precisely important that you come to the shelter if you are living with violence and have children.
What if I have special wishes or needs, for example due to a disability, illness or other condition?
We do our best to assess all the different needs that women may have and thus try to meet the needs of the women who seek us out.
How long can you live there?
It depends on each individual's circumstances. The women's shelter is an emergency shelter and is intended to be a temporary place of residence until the danger has passed or until the next steps can be taken. This is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Is anything being done to ensure the safety of the shelter's residents?
Yes, there is a great emphasis on ensuring the safety of the building's residents and we work well with the police in relation to security matters.
Is it possible to work and can the children go to school while staying in the shelter?
Yes, the residents of the shelter are expected to live their daily lives. Most of the women in the shelter continue to go to work and the children usually also go to their kindergarten and elementary schools.
Can I go out and meet my friends and stuff?
Yes, of course. You just need to let us know and remember the house rules, which, for example, require women to be home by midnight.
Do I need to bring anything with me?
No, but it is good if you are in a position to take with you your ID and important documents, medicine, children's school supplies and such. Also clothes and hygiene products if possible. At the shelter you will be given a room, a made-up bed, food and the necessities you need. Sometimes women are assisted by the police to go home and collect the most urgent necessities.
Where is the Women's Shelter?
There is one shelter in the capital area and one shelter in Akureyri. Women from all over the country can go there, regardless of where they live. The address is not publicly disclosed, but women and children who come to us are given it. The police also know the exact location of the two shelters.
How can I reach you then?
You can call us at 561 1205 or call 112 and get police assistance to reach us. Or ask a social worker, ask someone at your workplace to contact us, perhaps a neighbor, or at your child's preschool or school, for example.
Do I need a referral from someone to get in touch?
No, you don't need a referral to come to us, you can come directly to the shelter without calling ahead, even in the middle of the night.
Is it open 24 hours a day?
Yes, there is always a counselor on duty, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
What if you're full?
The women's shelter is an emergency shelter and is never so full that it is not possible to add a woman and children who need a stay.
But what if I don't speak Icelandic?
All of the shelter's staff speak Icelandic and English and even more languages (Spanish, French, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish), but sometimes we need help with interpretation and then we use various online translation programs, telephone interpretation or bring an interpreter to the shelter.
If I come for an interview or stay, does it affect my right to stay in Iceland, such as a residence permit or citizenship?
No.
Can I come even if I am not physically abused?
Yes, of course, not all women who have experienced physical violence or have been injured come to us.
Is what happened to me serious enough to seek help from a women's shelter?
Yes. All speculation is valid, and it is our experience that women who wonder whether they have a role in the shelter usually do.
But if I come to you, must I leave my husband? Or divorce him?
No, you decide what you do. The counselors at the Women's Shelter will give you information to help you assess your situation and decide what you want to do, but you have to make the decision yourself.
Will I be reported to child protection if I come and have children?
The Child Protection Act states that people who work with children and have reason to believe that a child is living in unacceptable conditions are obliged to report to child protection. We define a violent home as unacceptable conditions for a child, and therefore the main principle is that we report when children come to stay in the shelter and if they return home to the violent home.
Are the children taken from me?
No, child welfare does not take children away from a mother just because she has been abused. On the contrary, child welfare can help mothers in this situation, the role of child welfare is to protect children and by bringing the children to the Women's Shelter you are preventing the children from being abused.
