Who is the Women's Shelter for?

The Women's Shelter Association operates two shelters for women, one in Reykjavík and one in Akureyri.

Both the shelters in Reykjavík and Akureyri are for all women who cannot live at home due to violence. The shelters are for all kinds of women regardless of sexuality; women with and without children, Icelandic and foreign women, trans women and women who have not been subjected to physical violence. The violence can be of all kinds and the person who uses it is usually someone close to them, such as a spouse, parent, sibling or child.

Both the Reykjavík and Akureyri shelters are also for disabled women, but unfortunately there is no wheelchair access as of today. To accommodate this group, we have made other arrangements so that women who use wheelchairs or other assistive devices can access a safe haven and receive the same services as women who stay in a house.

Children in the shelter

Emphasis is placed on welcoming children who accompany their mothers during their stay and considering their needs during their stay. The children's counselor at the shelter in Reykjavík manages the affairs of children and mothers in the house. Children's activities are organized based on the situation in the shelter at any given time and aim to provide the children with a change and fun experiences. Much effort is made to celebrate birthdays and other holidays. Mothers are responsible for their children during their stay.

Life in the refuge

Both the shelters in Reykjavík and Akureyri are run as homes and an effort is made to make them as homely as possible. Upon arrival at the shelter, the woman is given a room with a made-up bed for herself and her children, if the woman has children staying with her. In the shelter, women have access to wireless internet, a washing machine and a dryer. Staying in the shelter is free of charge and women and children are also provided with essential items, such as food and hygiene products. Staff and residents share household chores. The house has a few but important house rules that aim to ensure that the coexistence of women and children runs as smoothly as possible. Rules apply to children's bedtimes and efforts are made to create security and stability in the work so that the stay is successful.

The shelters in Reykjavík and Akureyri emphasize confidentiality between residents and staff, and generally the shelter addresses are not made public. The philosophy is that the woman is an expert in her own case and that she only needs temporary help to cope with her situation and build a life free of violence.

Women staying in the shelter receive weekly interviews with a counselor. The interviews can be in the form of general counseling, support, information sharing and/or guidance. The length of time women need to stay in the shelter and the type of services they need varies greatly. Women staying in the shelter are encouraged to take time to get their bearings, rest and strengthen themselves. They are assisted in getting in touch with those who can help them with the next steps, such as the police, social services, lawyers and other professionals. After their stay in the shelter ends, women can continue to come for support interviews.

The Women's Shelter is a home, here are some pictures from the Women's Shelter in Reykjavík: