FACTS - Family Violence and Conflict Studies

Family violence (FV) is a serious societal problem and a violation of human rights. FV encompasses several different types of phenomena, such as intimate partner violence, stalking, honor-based violence and oppression, and child abuse. National surveys from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention show that one in three women and one in five men in Sweden have at some point been subjected to intimate partner violence, and that at least 150,000 children live in households where such violence occurs. FV can take many different forms and can be defined as various types of physical, psychological, sexual, economic, material, and digital violence, as well as violence against/via children and pets. The consequences of exposure to FV vary and include, for example, fear, depression, substance abuse, economic losses, physical injuries, and fatalities.

Within the research group FACTS, research is conducted with a particular focus on risk assessment, risk management, and interagency collaboration in FV cases. Based on this focus, our research is largely applied and carried out in collaboration with, among others, the police, social services, non-profit organizations, the prison and probation service, and county administrative boards. This includes evaluations of working methods (implementation and outcome evaluations) and analyses of existing data held by these organizations.

We draw on several theoretical perspectives, with the social-ecological model serving as an important foundation, highlighting that violence can be caused and influenced by factors at multiple levels (individual, relational, community, and structural). We also apply a rurality perspective in our research due to the important practical (e.g., long distances and limited resources) and sociocultural differences (e.g., attitudes toward violence and the degree of anonymity) present in different geographic contexts.

The purpose of FACTS is both to conduct and to make available high-quality, evidence-based, research that contributes to reducing FV and creating a better situation for those affected.