A recent survey in Denmark has revealed that one in six students have experienced either physical or psychological violence at home in the past year. The analysis, conducted by Børns Vilkår (Children’s Welfare), is based on responses from 1,410 eighth-grade students across the country.

The study also indicated that 37 percent of students who experienced violence did not report it to anyone. Rasmus Kjeldahl, director of Børns Vilkår, suggests this silence stems from fear of consequences for themselves or their families. He explained children may worry about parental imprisonment or being punished for speaking out.

While Kjeldahl expressed concern over the high figures, he acknowledged a decrease since Børns Vilkår’s 2022 analysis. The previous survey showed 22 percent reported physical violence and 23 percent reported psychological violence. Kjeldahl attributes the decline to increased focus on the issue in recent years but emphasizes that further progress is needed, stating the current number is unacceptably high for a developed society like Denmark, where hitting children has been illegal for over 25 years.

Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard acknowledged the severity of the problem, stating that violence against children is a huge issue in Danish society. Hummelgaard said that it is not spoken about enough, and admitted that not enough has been done about the problem either.

Børns Vilkår has called for several measures, including informing children about their rights in school, enhancing professionals’ ability to recognize signs of abuse, and increasing systematic efforts by municipalities. They have also urged the government to develop a comprehensive action plan.

Hummelgaard agreed on the need for further political action. He highlighted recent efforts, including allocating a double-digit million amount to improve violence detection through expanded forensic medical examinations. He also noted a proposal to tighten punishments for violence against children as part of the new criminal reform. The minister assured that more initiatives are forthcoming to tackle the widespread violence against children in Denmark.