Nearly 3,300 individuals, predominantly women, sought refuge in Danish crisis centers in 2024, according to a recent report by Statistics Denmark. This data reflects the impact of a legislative amendment granting men equal access to these vital services.

The report reveals that 3,106 women and 129 men stayed at crisis centers. The gender of the remaining 56 individuals is unknown. The change in law, implemented in July 2024, extends the provisions of paragraph 109 of the Social Services Act to men, ensuring they receive the same support as women when exposed to violence.

This legislative update entitles men experiencing violence to access crisis center services, bring their children with them, receive municipal advice, and obtain psychological assistance for themselves and their children. The figures highlight a critical need, as approximately 50,000 citizens reported experiencing partner violence in the past year, according to a victim survey conducted by the Ministry of Justice, the National Police, and the Crime Prevention Council. The survey indicated that men constitute 43 percent of partner violence victims.

In 45 percent of crisis center stays, individuals were accompanied by one or more children, totaling around 2,600 children in 2024. The report also indicates that most stays lasted between one and four months, with 36 percent of the residents aged 30 to 39.

Over half of the individuals seeking refuge in crisis centers were of Danish origin, maintaining a similar proportion to the previous year. Each crisis center reported data on the number of people, children, and the duration of stays upon admission.

Prior to July 2024, approximately 80 crisis centers were exclusively for women. Since the law change, crisis centers specifically for men have been established. The current report includes data from 97 crisis centers operating under paragraph 109 of the Social Services Act. While services for men existed before the amendment, they were provided under different legal frameworks.

Statistics Denmark notes that five percent of the individuals and four percent of the children are either anonymous or lack valid identification numbers. This anonymity prevents the agency from determining their municipality of residence, age, gender, or origin. It also makes it impossible to track whether anonymous individuals had multiple stays during the year.