High rates of violence in Greenland

According to new study on violence in Greenland, one half of Greenlanders have experienced personal violence.

Six out of 10 women aged 18 to 24 had been victims of assault or threats, according to the study conducted by the Danish National Institute for Public Health.

More than 30 per cent of these young women were also victims of sexual abuse, and 12.5 per cent were abused as children.

While violence affected men in almost equal rates, women victims were typically younger.

The study drew on statistics from a 1994 health and population profile on Greenland, but researchers say the figures are probably higher today because reports of violence have doubled over the past 10 years.

“The numbers are alarming and express a bad quality of life. But now a de-colonization process has started, and we’re in the midst of a healing process,” Greenlandic politician Asii Narup told the Danish newspaper, Politiken.