Prevention of Violence and Accidents

-Automatic translation

The activities of the Directorate of Health in the field of violence prevention concern gathering data, professional advice to the government, and prevention work through the approaches and Health-Promoting Communities and Health-Promoting Preschools, Primary Schools, and Upper Secondary Schools. Furthermore, the Office collects statistical data on the number of people who have been victims of violence through the study Health and Well-being in Iceland and through an online survey conducted by Gallup at the request of the Directorate of Health. The results from the study Health and Well-being provide essential information about the frequency of violence.

Primary prevention is essential, and to guide young people about healthy communication and boundaries in close relationships, the Directorate of Health has published teaching material on mental, physical, and sexual violence in adolescent relationships intended for teaching in the 9th or 10th grade of elementary school. This kind of interactive teaching for teenagers is one of the methods recommended by the World Health Organization to prevent violence. The material is based on evidence-based methods and is offered to schools free of charge.

The Directorate of Health has a representative in a group that follows up on the parliamentary resolution on preventing sexual and gender-based violence and harassment among children and young people. A dashboard on the status of actions is accessible on the website of the Prime Minister's Office. (Icelandic)

Related material

• Assessment of the effects of children's and young people's digital access to pornography on their health and well-being. Published 2023 (Icelandic)

• Traumatic reactions to sexual violence. Brochure. (Icelandic)

• Violence against children - Educational material. The Government of Iceland. (Icelandic)

• Website 1-1-2

• Victims of sexual assault handout

• Sexual violence in sports. The National Olympic and Sports Association of Iceland. (Icelandic)

• Violence. The police. (Icelandic)

• Children's safety in cars. Icelandic Transport Authority (Icelandic)

• Accidents among older adults in 2003. Published 2005. (Icelandic)