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• The Board

Our vision:

A better life for those affected by violence and trauma

Through research, we develop, inform and report on good practice for practitioners, as well as contributing to the advancement of the academic field of violence and traumatic stress. The goal is to prevent and reduce the health and social consequences of violence and traumatic stress.

Prioritised areas

• Research and development
• Communication: teaching, academic supervision and counselling
• Consultation

Our centre’s approach is interdisciplinary, including medical, psychological, social, cultural and judicial fields. Central to our research are age, ethnicity and gender factors.

The Norwegian Directorate of Health has assigned NKVTS national responsibility for health emergency preparedness in case of terrorism and disasters.

Fields of expertise

• Violence and abuse in close relationships
• Disasters, terror and stress management
• Forced migration and refugee health
• Implementation and treatment

NKVTS collaborates with regional resource teams within the field of violence and trauma, as well as other relevant clinical groups, research institutions and assistance services nationally and internationally.

The centre does not operate at a clinical level, but the research is beneficial for those who work with individuals exposed to violence, abuse and other trauma.

International work

More than 25% of NKVTS’ peer-review production is done with researchers from other countries. We initiate and participate in international, collaborative projects, such as RefugeesWellSchool, Violence against women migrants and refugees, and PROTECT: Prospective Research On Terrorist Events.

NKVTS employees are board members of both the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). NKVTS is an active participant in the Arq Psychotrauma Collaborative Europe (APCE), exchanging research ideas and initiating projects between leading European institutions.

NKVTS held the 3rd European Conference on Domestic Violence (ECDV) in Oslo in September 2019, with more than 800 delegates from 41 countries.

Organisational structure

The managing director of NKVTS is Cecilie Daae.

The following sections are responsible for research and development:

• Section for Violence and Trauma
  Head of section: Gertrud Sofie Hafstad
• Section for Trauma, Catastrophes and Forced Migration – Children and Youth
  Head of section: Ines Blix
• Section for Trauma, Catastrophes and Forced Migration – Adults and Elderly
  Head of section:
• Section for Implementation and Treatment Research
  Head of section: Harald Bækkelund

Support staff

• Communication
  Head of department: Thorbjørn Laundal
• Research and administration
  Head of department: Elisabet Lillian Gustad

NKVTS is a part of NORCE research. NKVTS was established January 1st 2004 as a daughter company of UNIRAND AS, owned by the University of Oslo. In July 2019 NKVTS became a part of NORCE.

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The Board

The Board consists of seven members and alternate members.

Executive Chairperson: Herlof Nilssen
Deputy Chairperson: Jon Harald Kaspersen, EVP Health & Social Sciences, NORCE

Board members

• Agnieszka Anna Zachariassen, NORCE
• Aili Keskitalo, Amnesty International
• Lisbeth Kristine Røyneland, former leader of the July 22 Support Group
• Geir Kværk, employee representative, NKVTS
• Isabel Viola Kreis, employee representative, NKVTS

Alternate members

• Eirik Øwre Thorshaug, Telenor (alternate member for Aili Keskitalo)
• Ellen Merethe Roberg, Subsitute Teacher at Røråstoppen skole (alternate member for Lisbeth Kristine Røyneland)

Alternate members for NORCE representatives

• Trond Mydland, Head of Research NORCE Social Sciences
• Grethe Johnsen, Researcher II NORCE Health
• Tord S. Linden, SVP Sustainability and Renewal NORCE

Alternate members for employee representatives

1. Silje M. Ormhaug
2. Marie Knutsen
3. Sophie L. Kjærvik
4. Per Moum Hellevik

Commissioning Institutions

The Ministry of Health and Care Services, Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the Ministry of Children and Families are the primary financers of NKVTS. NKVTS also has projects financed by the Norwegian Research Council, EU, and others.

Other agencies and institutions can order the centre’s services. In these cases, NKVTS will evaluate each request separately, to see if it is within our scope of expertise and capacity to be of service.