Youth Parties need to work hard

LNU Board 2017. Photo: LNU.No

Asks Youth Parties to work thoroughly with routines against abuse and harassment

The youth parties must work hard and dilligently to create good and safe organizations. Many do a lot of good, according to the umbrella organization LNU.

 

General Secretary Andreas Borud of the National Council for Norway’s Child and Youth Organizations (LNU) says several of the youth parties have used the Council’s competence plans to prevent and deal with harassment and sexual assault.

– Our goal is that child and youth organizations should have routines in place for preventing sexually unacceptable behavior and having the skills to help those who are exposed to something. There are several of the youth parties that have taken advantage of this, and my impression is that the organizations have worked well and thoroughly, including the youth parties, Borud tells NTB.

He points out that he does not have an overall overview of the types of procedures the youth parties have implemented.

– My impression is that the youth parties are doing very well. But creating good and safe organizations for all requires hard work for a long period of time, he says.

– The vast majority of young people who engage politically have very positive experiences. We nevertheless know that there is unacceptable behavior going on in some child and youth organizations, he emphasizes.

Alcohol and power

As such events are often linked to drinking and party culture, it is questionionable whether the youth parties should have stricter rules for the use of alcohol. Borud believes that LNU should not rule on what “alcohol practice” is the best, but points out that both alcohol and skewed power relations are factors that must be taken into account.

– When one of the factors is present, there are important with good routines, awareness and competence to handle issues that may arise. he says.

In connection with the # metoo campaign, more issues have been reported about inappropriate behavior in political environments. Last Wednesday, it became apparent that leader of the Young Conservatives (Unge Høyre), Kristian Tonning Riise, withdraws because several members have reacted to his behavior. Earlier that day, it was also known that the Progress Party’s MP and Deputy Leader, Ulf Leirstein, has sent pornographic images to several people, including a 14-year-old. Several of the warnings against the now deposed Labour Deputy Leader, Trond Giske, also involve young party members.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today