Reykjavík Grapevine - 25.10.2019, Blaðsíða 10

According to a new study, around 80%
of women in Parlia-
m e n t h a v e b e e n
exposed to gender-
b a s e d v i o l e n c e .
In May, the study
surveyed 33 women
who are working in
or have recently quit
Parliament, with 25
women responding.
The results of the
study are presented
in a new book by Dr.
Haukur Arn!órsson,
which was released on October 18.
The study finds that
about 80% of Icelan-
dic women in Parlia-
m e n t h a v e b e e n
exposed to psycholog-
ical violence, and 28%
have been subjected
to sexual violence.
Additional ly, 2 4%
reported physical
abuse, and 20.8% said
they had experienced
economic violence,
which occurs when
women are denied terms of employ-
ment or facilities to which their posi-
tion should entitle them, or when their
property is damaged.
Something we need
to talk about
"This is quite an unbelievably high
percentage who are named here, and I
expect that this matter will be taken up
in Parliament,” Prime Minister Katrín
Jakobsdóttir told RÚV following the
study’s publication. “According to the
news, this is happening to a signifi-
cantly greater degree here than else-
where in Europe, but one may also ask
themselves if we are more willing—
which is also in some ways positive—
to talk more about these things here
than anywhere else."
The results of the study were
compared to a comprehensive survey
of gender-based violence conducted
by the International Parliamentary
Assembly in collaboration with the
Council of Europe in 2018. Based on
this comparison, it is apparent that
the proportion of women who have
experienced gender-based violence
is higher in the Icelandic parliament
than in other European nations.
More about gender-based
violence in Iceland
The greatest disparity between Europe
and Iceland is the number of Parlia-
mentarian women who have experi-
enced physical and economic violence.
In Europe, 14.8% admitted to having
experienced physical violence, 9% less
than in Iceland. Similarly, there is a 7
point disparity between European and
Icelandic women who have suffered
economic violence.
The study includes a number of
other factors. For example, women
tend to serve shorter terms in Parlia-
ment than men, and 63.5% of women
in Parliament are from the top layers
of society.
Katrín believes that many have been
affected by the #MeToo movement,
and have realized how widespread
both gender-based violence and sexual
harassment are.
"We have now been at the forefront
when it comes to gender equality in
the world, but I think many people
have had a shock experiencing this
violence culture that is linked to the
gender system in our community. But
the good thing about this is that I think
we are starting to talk a lot more, and
more openly about it,” she said.
Since the turn of the century, the
Catholic congregation in traditionally
Lutheran Iceland has grown rapidly,
mainly due to immigration. In 1994,
Catholics accounted for 1% of the
population, but as immigration accel-
erated in the 21st century, fueled by
Iceland’s fast economic growth, the
number of Catholics living in the
country increased accordingly. As of
October 2019, people of Catholic faith
make up 4% of the population.
What causes the increase
With the largest immigration groups
coming from countries where Catholi-
cism is predominant, it is no surprise
that Catholic churches in Iceland are
flourishing thanks to immigration.
People of Polish origin comprise the
largest immigrant group, account-
ing for more than 40% of all foreign
nationals living in
the country, followed
by Lithuanians.
Landakotskirkja
in Reykjavík, with its
priest Jakob Rolland,
is the church that
has seen the highest
increase in attend-
ance and is some-
times hardly able to
accommodate the large numbers of
people who flock there. Compared to
mainland Europe, where the Catholic
Church is losing congregates in many
places, partly due to scandal, the same
change is not the reality in Iceland.
The global trend
However, the Lutheran National
Church of Iceland has experienced a
decline in members and mass attend-
ance in recent years. In the 1990s,
about 90% of the population was regis-
tered in the National Church but the
headcount has since shrunk to 64%.
A record number quit in 2010 when
the National Church was accused of
attempting to cover up sexual crimes
committed by former Bishop Ólafur
Skúlason.
What seems to be an oppositional
trend in Iceland, with people joining
the Catholic Church and leaving the
Lutheran Church, doesn’t hold true on
a global scale. The reality is that both
Christian Churches have been losing
ground worldwide for a long time.
Perhaps that’s why Jakob Rolland, as
the most important spokesperson of
Catholics in Iceland, is advocating
heavily for Catholics to register in
the congregation even though Landa-
kotskirkja’s is at capacity. The church
receives funding from the state
for every member
enlisted. He has also
been pleading with
the government to
hear out the Catho-
lic Church’s concerns
about social issues
and points to the fact
that their objections
to the bills allowing
same-sex marriage
and concerning abortion were not
taken into account when they went
through.
Value conflicts
It’s highly interesting that a conserv-
ative institution like the Catholic
Church flourishes in a country that
is one of the most progressive in the
world—and it doesn’t come without
conflict, as many of the institution’s
views and values are out of touch with
Icelandic reality. For instance, the
Vatican still vehemently defends patri-
archal ideas and doesn't allow women
into positions of power whilst Iceland
is at the forefront of gender-equality.
Further, equal rights for queer couples
are a foundational value to the major-
ity of Icelanders, yet the Catholic
Church still refuses to marry them.
What role the Catholic Church can
play in the 21st century, least of all in
Iceland, deserves full examination.
Words:
Sam O’Donnell
Photo:
Art Bicnick
Words:
Lea Müller
Photo:
Art Bicnick
10 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 19— 2019News
"This is an
incredibly high
percentage
mentioned here
and I expect it to
be discussed at
the forum now."
“Catholic
churches in
Iceland are
flourishing from
migration.”
Sexism In Parliament
The numbers don’t lie
Catholic Con!re-
!ation in Iceland
Growin! Rapidly
A potential for value conflicts
Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland
Landakotskirkja, Reykjavík's Catholic church