In a significant move to enhance the safety and quality of protected accommodations for victims of violence across Sweden, a new regulation requiring permits to operate such facilities will come into effect on April 1st.

This initiative, spearheaded by the Swedish Health and Welfare Inspectorate (Ivo), aims to eliminate unqualified and potentially criminal operators from the sector.

Under the new law, both existing and aspiring service providers will need to apply for a license within four months, demonstrating their financial stability, knowledge of relevant laws, and overall suitability, including a clean criminal record.

Anki Bystedt, a department head at Ivo, highlights this as a crucial reform to improve the support and security for individuals seeking refuge from abuse.

The measure seeks to address the previously lax regulations that allowed virtually anyone to establish and run shelters for abused women and children, risking the infiltration of disreputable actors.