The Nordic countries are characterised by, and internationally famous for, strongly pronounced ideologies of gender equality and childcentredness anchored in legislation and other sources of public norms. They are welfare states where women especially have a relatively strong position in the public sphere. The consensus-oriented Nordic research on gender equality and gender politics has led to substantial improvements within many sectors of these societies. This positive development is, however, not as evident in the area of gender and violence, for example regarding violence and rape against women and girls in intimate relationships. It is clear that a context with strong ideologies of gender equality and child-centredness does not wipe out men's violence against women and children. This fact makes Nordic research especially, and internationally, interesting (Gender and Violence, 2000).

The most recent national surveys on men's violence against women in the Nordic countries indicate that the social problem of men's violence is no less serious in these countries than in other parts of the Western world (Heiskanen and Piispa, 1998; Lundgren et al, 2001). According to the Finnish study, 22% of all married and cohabiting women have at some point been victims of physical or sexual violence or threats of violence by their present partner (9% in the course of the past year) (Heiskanen and Piispa, 1998). In the Swedish study, the comparable figure is 11% (Lundgren et al, 2001). Furthermore, according to the latter study, 35% of separated or divorced women have been exposed to physical or sexual violence or threats of violence by a previous partner (in Finland the comparable figure is 50%).

Today, there is increasing public recognition in all of the Nordic countries of men's violence against women as a social problem. The long-standing political work of voluntary organisations supporting women and children, such as women's helplines, refuges and shelters, has without doubt been central to this development. However, as will be shown in this book, the Nordic countries are different. For example, the development in Finland has followed a different trajectory compared to Norway and Sweden. From the beginning, the explicit aim of the Finnish shelters was to work with the whole family, not only women and children.