[ad_1]
– I have been abused since I was very young. And it has left its mark on my life, says Lene Tuv.
The mother of three flips through a photo album and recounts her bad memories. It shows images of a girl who has been photographed in various contexts.
– This photo is of the department where the abuse began, I can see it in my eyes, a kind of uncertainty. It’s a really strong image for me. And it is he who takes the photo, says Lene, while showing the album.
He is the caretaker who raped her for several years.
Don’t you dare go to the bathroom
Lene stops by a photo from the album. In the picture, she is sitting on the bed, under a duvet.
– What do you see in your eyes from that moment?
– Emptiness, sadness and consideration. This was really how I felt as a kid. Here I see someone taking a break from the world.
BAD MEMORIES: The person who took the photos was a caregiver that Lene loved, who took several photos of Lene, who posed with and without clothes.
– What were you afraid of when you were a child?
– Always wait next time. I didn’t dare get up at night to go to the bathroom, because he had a bedroom next to the bathroom. Then it went wrong, Lene remembers.
– Life destroyed
In the Bergen District Court ruling, it was established that Lene was sexually abused from the age of ten to fifteen.
– Being exposed to abuse has really ruined my whole life, it’s hard to put into words how much this can harm a person, says Lene.
Talk about lingering anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and bad thoughts that you doubt you can shake off.
– Just going to the store is demanding. If I see someone who looks like my abuser, I squirt, he says.
You must claim compensation yourself
In 2011, Lene received compensation of NOK 2.2 million for a ruined life. But you must make sure you claim the compensation yourself.
– The case was reported in 2005. It has been a tough tension with several rounds in the judicial system. I am aware that I am lucky that my abuser was convicted, but sometimes I wonder if it was really worth it, he says.
RESPONSIBLE WORK: Lene Tuv was sexually abused and the abuser was sentenced to pay compensation. But he has paid a small compensation and Lene herself must constantly follow up on her claim.
The abuser was ordered to pay his compensation within two weeks. But that was not the case.
Every two years, Lene has to go through a long and demanding process in which he has to ask the bailiff for a disbursement, in the hope that it will be deducted from his salary.
– Here there is always a complaint from the abuser, and it is a great tension every time. It tears so many wounds. And the waiting is always cruel.
– The worst thing is the feeling every time I personally have to send a notice to your mailbox, Lene tells TV 2.
So far, in almost ten years, she has received only a third of what her husband owes her today, including interest.
– frustrating
For some months, Lene has not been paid anything. At the moment, the queue at Namsmannen is so long that you have been told that you must agree to wait a year before you can expect new payments again.
Sometimes the abuser has only paid 1,500 crowns a month.
NEW LAW: Now the government is in favor of the state covering compensation in the Lene case and other similar cases.
– Delivered the separation and agreed to contribute to the mother of the children, higher than the NAV rates. The sheriff, on the other hand, managed to fix my claim at NOK 1,500 a month because it’s not normal with such a high child allowance, says Lene.
– How does it feel to have to constantly work to get your compensation?
– Burdensome. And it’s frustrating sitting in line with people who like to have an unpaid bill with the doctor.
The Minister of Justice will change the law
– The story told by TV 2 is cruel, it is about a person who is exposed to horrible actions and then has to spend a lot of time and effort seeking compensation from a convicted criminal, Justice Minister Monica Mæland (H) tells TV 2.
The government has submitted a draft law for consultation and the consultation deadline has just passed.
WANTS TO CHANGE THE LAW: – These are serious cases where victims have to spend a lot of time and effort trying to collect compensation they are really entitled to, says Mæland. Photo: Haakon Eliassen / TV 2
– We propose changes to the compensation scheme for victims of violence so that everyone who has a verdict on an injury and who has been sentenced to victims of violence now pays it automatically, says Mæland.
According to the proposal, the new law will have retroactive effect for all cases in which there is a judgment of compensation of up to six million crowns.
– It will be retroactive because we have seen a number of examples of very painful and difficult cases. Victims have been awarded compensation, but they have not been awarded compensation, says Mæland.
– I hope it can help others
Lene says it took her a long time to stand up. After contacting TV 2, he has considered retiring a couple of times.
– But I hope this can be useful for others who are struggling. It’s not something you want to date, it’s taboo. But if it can help other victims, that’s the most important thing to me, says Lene.
TV 2 has been in contact with the person who has been convicted of abuse. They offered to speak anonymously, but he declined to comment on the matter.
