2024-02-152023/24:SoU6 · p.5SoUHealth & social services
Women's shelter activities
The role of women's shelters as protected housing is regulated in the Social Services Act
What's at stake: Women's shelters run a large share of Sweden's protected housing, often as voluntary associations. How their work is regulated affects where women subjected to violence and their children can find protection, what requirements the housing must meet, and how clearly residents are told why their whereabouts are kept secret or contact is restricted.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the Riksdag should take an initiative on the operations of women's shelters as protected housing is written into the Social Services Act, or whether the government's proposal suffices, while the counter-proposal instead wants the reasons for withholding a person's whereabouts and for restricting contact to be clearly stated in the decisions.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee sees no reason for the Riksdag to take any initiative on the operations of women's shelters and therefore rejects the motion. It backs the government's proposal to write protected housing into the Social Services Act as a housing measure for people who need support and protection because of threats, violence or other abuse, and shares the assessment that the measure should remain open to everyone who is, has been or risks being subjected to such treatment, even though it will mainly serve women and their children exposed to violence by a close relation.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 4 (S, MP)
The dissenters (S, MP) want the reasons for withholding a person's whereabouts and for restricting contact to be clearly stated in the decisions.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 4 by S, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | No 0/93/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/13/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 14/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects motion 2023/24:2783 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP) claim 1.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2023/24:2783 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP) yrkande 1.
Riksdag decision: Parliament said yes to new regulations to improve protection for and support to persons who need protected housing and to strengthen the children's rights perspective for children who accompany a guardian to protected housing. The law amendments mean, among other things, that protected housing shall be regulated in the Social Services Act. Children who accompany a guardian to protected housing shall be assessed and granted the measure individually, and the social welfare board shall be responsible for meeting the child's need for support and assistance services. The law amendments take effect on April 1, 2024.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the reasons for keeping location secret and restricting visitation to be clearly stated in decisions. (S, MP) — Reservation 4
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan requires that the best interests of the child come first, that the child perspective is strengthened when residence is determined and that people are not met with arbitrary official action.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that the best interests of the child come first, that the child perspective is strengthened when residence is determined and that people are not met with arbitrary official action. That the reasons for keeping residence location secret and for limiting residence are clearly shown in the decisions is a direct expression of this. The plan also values women's and girls' shelters' independence, which is the issue the committee addresses.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att barnens bästa kommer i första rummet, att barnperspektivet stärks när umgänge avgörs och att människor inte möts av godtyckligt myndighetsutövande. Att skälen för hemlighållande av vistelseort och för umgängesbegränsning tydligt framgår av besluten är ett direkt uttryck för detta. Planen värnar samtidigt kvinnojourernas självständighet, vilket är den fråga utskottet uttalar sig om.
- against arbitrary official actiondecisive»följer också förtryckande inslag i den offentliga sektorn. Människor möts ibland av godtyckligt myndighetsutövande, patriarkala« (party programme ↗)“also follows oppressive elements in the public sector. People sometimes meet arbitrary official action, patriarchal”
- child's best interests first»Vänsterpartiets politik ska utformas så att barnens bästa kommer i första rummet.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party's politics shall be designed so that the best interests of the child come first.”
- strengthened child perspective in custody»Barnperspektivet måste stärkas i vårdnadstvister och det ska inte vara möjligt för våldsutövare att behålla gemensam vårdnad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The child perspective must be strengthened in custody disputes and it should not be possible for perpetrators to retain joint custody.”
- shelter independence»Vi värnar kvinno- och tjejjourernas självständighet. Den får inte« (party programme ↗)“We value women's and girls' shelters' independence. It must not”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that the best interests of the child are considered in all decisions and that authorities are factual and impartial with openness and transparency in administration.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that the best interests of the child are considered in all decisions and that authorities are factual and impartial with openness and transparency in administration. That the reasons for keeping residence location and visitation restrictions secret clearly appear from the decisions follows from these principles, since the decisions cut deeply into children's and guardians' lives. The plan does not treat protected housing specifically, so the assessment is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att barnets bästa beaktas i alla beslut och att myndigheter är sakliga och opartiska med öppenhet och insyn i förvaltningen. Att skälen för hemlighållande av vistelseort och umgängesbegränsning tydligt framgår av besluten följer av dessa principer, eftersom besluten griper djupt in i barns och vårdnadshavares liv. Planen behandlar inte skyddat boende särskilt, varför bedömningen är härledd.
- the best interests of the child in all decisionsdecisive»Alla barn ska ha rätt till en trygg uppväxt i enlighet med FN:s barnkonvention.« (party programme ↗)“All children shall have the right to a safe upbringing in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
- factual exercise of authority»beakta allas likhet inför lagen och iaktta saklighet och opartiskhet.« (party programme ↗)“observe everyone's equality before the law and maintain factual and impartial conduct.”
- openness and transparency»Den demokratiska processen och samhällsförvaltningen måste bygga på offentlighet och« (party programme ↗)“The democratic process and public administration must be based on publicity and”
- protection for victims of violence»Krafttag för att stoppa hedersrelaterat våld, sexualbrott och mäns våld mot kvinnor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decisive action to stop honour-related violence, sexual crimes and men's violence against women.”
The election manifesto wants to protect children from being forced into contact with a violent parent and give abuse survivors who are forced to hide stronger protection, and the party programme requires that children's legal security be strengthened if violence is suspected.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to protect children from being forced into contact with a violent parent and give abuse survivors who are forced to hide stronger protection, and the party programme requires that children's legal security be strengthened if violence is suspected. Legal security should be secured in authority decisions. The fact that the reasons for keeping residence hidden and restricting contact clearly appear in the decisions is such a legal security and protection requirement that the plan bears.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill skydda barn från att tvingas till umgänge med en våldsam förälder och ge våldsutsatta som tvingas gömma sig ett starkare skydd, och partiprogrammet kräver att barnets rättstrygghet stärks vid misstanke om våld. Rättssäkerheten ska tryggas i myndighetsbeslut. Att skälen för hemlighållen vistelseort och umgängesbegränsning tydligt framgår av besluten är ett sådant rättssäkerhets- och skyddskrav som planen bär.
- children protected from violent parentdecisive»skydda barn från att tvingas till umgänge med en våldsam förälder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“protect children from being forced into contact with a violent parent.”
- strengthened legal security for children»Barnets rättstrygghet måste stärkas om det« (party programme ↗)“Children's legal security must be strengthened if it”
- stronger protection with hidden residence»att våldsutsatta kvinnor som tvingas gömma sig ska få starkare skydd och att fler som utövar våld ska få fotboja.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that abuse survivors who are forced to hide should receive stronger protection and that more people who commit violence should receive electronic tagging.”
- secured legal security»Rättssäkerheten ska tryggas samtidigt som de« (party programme ↗)“Legal security should be secured while the”
The party programme wants to see enforceable rights and that decisions can be appealed, which presupposes that the grounds are stated in the decisions.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme wants to see enforceable rights and that decisions can be appealed, which presupposes that the grounds are stated in the decisions. The programme particularly highlights every child's right to be seen and respected, and the election manifesto wants to strengthen the protection of families with protected identity. That the grounds for keeping place of residence and access restrictions confidential shall clearly be stated in the decisions therefore follows from the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet vill se utkrävbara rättigheter och att beslut kan överklagas, vilket förutsätter att skälen framgår av besluten. Programmet lyfter särskilt varje barns rätt att bli sett och respekterat, och valmanifestet vill stärka skyddet för familjer med skyddad identitet. Att skälen för hemlighållande av vistelseort och umgängesbegränsning tydligt ska framgå av besluten följer därför av planen.
- enforceable rightsdecisive»Vi vill se en rättighetslagstiftning, ett tydligt samhällskontrakt med utkrävbara rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“We want to see a rights-based legislation, a clear societal contract with enforceable rights.”
- decisions shall be appealable»Politiska beslut och juridiska domslut måste kunna överklagas« (party programme ↗)“Political decisions and legal judgments must be able to be appealed”
- child's right»Särskilt viktigt är att värna varje barns rätt att bli respekterad och att bli sedd för den man är.« (party programme ↗)“Especially important is to protect every child's right to be respected and to be seen for who they are.”
- protection of vulnerable families»Vi vill bland annat att elektronisk fotboja används oftare och stärka skyddet för familjer med skyddad identitet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want, among other things, to use electronic monitoring more often and strengthen the protection of families with protected identity.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that placed children's liberties and rights are clearly specified in the law, that children have the right to information and that individuals' opportunities to assert their rights against authorities increase.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that placed children's liberties and rights are clearly specified in the law, that children have the right to information and that individuals' opportunities to assert their rights against authorities increase. The counter-proposal's demand that the reasons for keeping residence secret and restricting contact clearly appear in the decisions is precisely such a legal security guarantee. The plan also establishes that children shall not be forced into contact with a parent who has subjected the child to abuse.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att placerade barns fri- och rättigheter är tydligt angivna i lagen, att barn har rätt till information och att den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sina rättigheter mot myndigheterna ökar. Motförslagets krav på att skälen för hemlighållen vistelseort och umgängesbegränsning tydligt framgår av besluten är just en sådan rättssäkerhetsgaranti. Planen slår också fast att barn inte ska tvingas till umgänge med en förälder som utsatt barnet för övergrepp.
- placed children's right to informationdecisive»angivna i lagen, och placerade barn ska ha rätt att få information.« (party programme ↗)“specified in the law, and placed children shall have the right to receive information.”
- individuals' rights against authorities»Den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sina rättigheter gentemot myndigheterna måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“Individuals' opportunities to assert their rights against authorities must increase.”
- no forced contact in case of abuse»umgänge med en förälder som utsatt barnet för övergrepp, psykisk eller fysisk misshandel.« (party programme ↗)“contact with a parent who has subjected the child to abuse, psychological or physical assault.”
- strengthened legal security»Rättssäkerheten och skyddet för de medborgerliga fri- och rättigheterna behöver förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Legal security and protection of civil liberties and rights need to be strengthened.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that social measures are characterized by respect for personal integrity and give individuals influence and participation, and that children have the right to contact with both their parents.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that social measures are characterized by respect for personal integrity and give individuals influence and participation, and that children have the right to contact with both their parents. The counter-proposal's requirement that the reasons for concealed residence and visitation restrictions clearly appear from the decisions is a prerequisite for such participation and for the child's best interests to be considered.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att socialpolitiska insatser präglas av respekt för den personliga integriteten och ger den enskilde inflytande och delaktighet, och att barn har rätt till kontakt med båda sina föräldrar. Motförslagets krav att skälen för hemlighållen vistelseort och umgängesbegränsning tydligt framgår av besluten är en förutsättning för sådan delaktighet och för att barnets bästa kan prövas.
- participation in social decisionsdecisive»av respekt för den personliga integriteten och ge förutsättningar för inflytande och delaktighet från den enskilde« (party programme ↗)“out of respect for personal integrity and provide conditions for influence and participation from the individual”
- child's right to both parents»behöver och har rätt till kontakt med båda sina föräldrar.« (party programme ↗)“need and have the right to contact with both their parents.”
- child's best interests first»barnets bästa ska komma i främsta rummet.« (party programme ↗)“the child's best interests must come first.”
- clear and understandable rules»förankrade i en human och tydlig lagstiftning« (party programme ↗)“anchored in humane and clear legislation”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan demands that all public exercise of power is lawbound and marked by equal treatment and predictability, and wants to sharpen official responsibility so that responsibility follows the decisions made.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands that all public exercise of power is lawbound and marked by equal treatment and predictability, and wants to sharpen official responsibility so that responsibility follows the decisions made. That the grounds for withholding residence and contact restrictions must clearly emerge from the decisions follows from these principles. The plan does not treat protected residence specially, so support is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att all offentlig maktutövning är lagstyrd och präglas av likabehandling och förutsebarhet, och vill skärpa tjänstemannaansvaret så att ansvar följer med de beslut som fattas. Att skälen för hemlighållande av vistelseort och umgängesbegränsning tydligt ska framgå av besluten följer av dessa principer. Planen behandlar inte skyddat boende särskilt, varför stödet är härlett.
- responsibility for public decisionsdecisive»Skärpa tjänstemannaansvaret så att du som skattebetalare vet att med all offentlig maktutövning följer ett ansvar för de beslut som fattas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sharpen official responsibility so that as a taxpayer you know that all public exercise of power is followed by responsibility for the decisions made”
- equal treatment and predictability»All offentlig maktutövning ska vara lagstyrd och vägledas av« (party programme ↗)“All public exercise of power must be lawbound and guided by”
- protection of freedoms and rights»Stärka domstolarnas oberoende och skyddet för medborgarnas fri- och rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the courts' independence and protection for citizens' freedoms and rights”
- strengthened women's shelters»Fortsätta stärka kvinnojourerna« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Continue to strengthen women's shelters”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires increased quality and legal protection in investigations concerning children and that such investigations are quality-assured.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires increased quality and legal protection in investigations concerning children and that such investigations are quality-assured. Children taken into care should be able to rely on society's care, and the best interests of the child should always be considered. That the reasons for hidden residence and contact restrictions clearly appear from the decisions is precisely such a legal protection strengthening.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver ökad kvalitet och rättssäkerhet i utredningar om barn och att sådana utredningar är kvalitetssäkrade. Barn som omhändertas ska kunna lita på samhällets vård, och barnets bästa ska alltid beaktas. Att skälen för hemlighållen vistelseort och umgängesbegränsning tydligt framgår av besluten är just en sådan rättssäkerhetsförstärkning.
- legally secure child investigationsdecisive»Öka kvalité och rättssäkerhet i utredningar om barn« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase quality and legal protection in investigations concerning children”
- quality-assured investigations»Utredningar rörande barn ska vara kvalitetssäkrade och rättssäkra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Investigations concerning children shall be quality-assured and legally secure.”
- trust in society's care»Barn och unga som blir omhändertagna ska kunna lita på samhällets vård och nå en bättre tillvaro.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Children and young people taken into care should be able to rely on society's care and reach a better existence.”
- the child's best interests»Att barnets bästa alltid ska beaktas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That the best interests of the child shall always be considered”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:SoU6)
- Committee report full text (HB01SoU6)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:2778 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:31 Stärkta rättigheter för barn och vuxna i skyddat boende av Maj Karlsson m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:2779 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:31 Stärkta rättigheter för barn och vuxna i skyddat boende av Carina Ståhl Herrstedt m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2780 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:31 Stärkta rättigheter för barn och vuxna i skyddat boende av Martina Johansson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2783 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:31 Stärkta rättigheter för barn och vuxna i skyddat boende av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP)
- Proposition 2023/24:31 — Stärkta rättigheter för barn och vuxna i skyddat boende
Source: The Swedish Parliament