Knowledge Against Violence

Photo: Mette Frandsen.

Violence within families and other close relationships is a complex issue.

Although violence in intimate relationships is a well-established policy concern, public agencies and law enforcement personnel currently face a need to further develop their understanding and professional practices on this issue. Society’s understanding of what constitutes violence has shifted significantly over a relatively short period of time, resulting, among other things, in new legislation criminalising emotional abuse, stalking, and non-consensual sex.

New conditions for violence have also emerged, including through the increasingly widespread use of digital technologies, which enable new forms of stalking and harassment.

We seek to help humanities and social science researchers become collaborative partners for public agencies and law enforcement as they develop of new understandings, interpretive frameworks, and tools for addressing this issue.

We pursue this work through a range of different projects, including our Policy Fellowship programme on violence in close relationships, and through multiple workshops that put anthropological researchers, Danish police officers, and prosecutors together in dialogue.