Episode 4: Allyana Thomas opens up about intimate partner violence

Finland: Through the looking glass

Trigger warning: this episode deals with intimate partner violence and may be upsetting for some listeners.

Swedish language integration advocate Allyana Thomas bravely discusses her experiences living in and exiting a relationship overshadowed by violence in our latest episode of Finland: Through the looking glass. “I think the biggest help aside from having a therapist to talk to was being able to go to work. That I had a safe place to go away from my partner,” Thomas says.

Victim Support Finland (RIKU) describes domestic violence as a hidden crime, as violence takes place inside the home, meaning that outsiders are rarely aware of it. Despite being lauded as a paragon of gender equality, various studies have shown that Finland is an unsafe place for women. According to UN Women Finland, one in three women in Finland experiences intimate partner violence during their lifetime, while annually, at least 50,000 are targets of sexual violence.

Organisations mentioned in this episode:

Mieli - Mental Health Finland Provides crisis support for people living with mental health issues

Omatila – a unit of the Western Uusimaa Uusimaa Wellbeing Services county, that provides support for people experiencing violence in intimate relationships

Naistenlinja – Women’s Line offers services for people identifying as women and girls, and others close to them, experiencing violence and abuse or the threat of violence and abuse

Nollalinja – providing support and shelter for people living with domestic violence

Riku – Victim Support Finland advocates on behalf of all victims of crime

Migri – the Finnish Immigration Service