As patron of LOKK, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was on hand to open the “Nordic Women Against Violence 2009″ conference in Copenhagen Friday. She gave a speech to start off the conference. 
“It gives me great pleasure to open our conference,” she said “For the 16th time, “Nordic Women Against Violence” provides a framework for exchange of experience among volunteers and staff from shelters throughout the North. An important provision, because domestic violence is a worldwide problem.
“Everyone has the right to listen to,” the Crown Princess continued. “And everyone is entitled to a life without violence. It is therefore essential that the women and children exposed to domestic violence have the opportunity to seek safety, counseling and care. The shelters have provided the framework for a dedicated and voluntary efforts, as in the past three decades have been crucial.
“It is in the Nordic countries to create a general understanding that domestic violence is never acceptable. And that domestic violence can never be justified.”
Mary went on to talk about her experience visiting homeless shelters in Denmark and its territories.
“I have visited various shelters in both Denmark and Greenland. Everywhere I have been impressed with the struggle of women struggling to get back to a life without violence – a fight that requires a force that can not be overestimated. Meanwhile, everywhere I been impressed by the dedicated efforts made by employees and volunteers. It is clear that the shelters have generated a high degree of professional expertise – for example in working with children.”
The Crown Princess then pointed out how the children of domestic violence are effected and how they are helped by her organization, the Mary Foundation.
“Children in abusive families often live socially isolated and cut off from the safe environment we normally associate with the word “home”. In recent years there has been more focus on children’s special needs in relation to the experience of violence. And now in more of the active child educators at shelters. More to show children that violence no longer need to be a secret in the family, as they must bear alone. And more to tell them that no one – neither children or adults – to live with violence.
“By the Mary Foundation, we have had the pleasure to contribute to this effort. We have from 2008 distributed backpacks to children in shelters in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. These backpacks are a very small step. They are a simple idea and a symbolic gesture. Above all, they are a practical marker to the children that they have reached a crucial turning point in their lives: From now on they will be seen, heard and recognized.”
Crown Princess Mary also spoke of how the economy is forcing some women to stay in abusive relationships, and how domestic violence is more prevalent in Denmark than expected.
But Mary spoke of optimism of having such a gathering taking place Friday to tackle this issue.
“It is nice today to see your great appearance. To see so many dedicated and targeted forces unite in a common cause: Together to shed light on a complex issue. Together to focus on people who live socially isolated and cut off from the community. And together to help move the boundaries, break taboos, create debate and find solutions to the kind of social isolation, such as domestic violence leads to.”
With that, the conference began.
