Parents are not allowed to hit their children. They are also not allowed to threaten, yell at, or say mean things to their children that make them scared and upset.

Both physical and psychological abuse is illegal. Psychological abuse can occur when someone says demeaning and hurtful things to you, often or all the time. They might say that you are dumb, incompetent, worthless, etc. Often, you may start believing it yourself because you hear it frequently. Psychological abuse can also involve threatening someone you care about or threatening to spread rumors about you to others. Extreme social control often resembles psychological abuse.

You have the right to privacy and respect for your personal identity. This also applies where you live. It means that you get to decide how much information you want to share with your parents about your private life. Therefore, your parents should not snoop into your personal belongings like your mobile phone, monitor you, or dictate the person you want to become. You are allowed to have secrets and talk to your friends without others interfering. Parents and guardians have a responsibility for your safety, so they can only interfere with your privacy and personal space if they have reason to believe that you might be in situations that are dangerous or harmful to you.

If your parents check your mobile phone or violate your privacy in any other way, it may be helpful to talk to them about it and ask for their reasoning. These conversations can be difficult to have, but they are important so that you can find solutions together. You can also seek guidance from organizations such as the Family Counseling Office (familievernkontoret) to help facilitate such conversations. You can also discuss with us at the Red Cross helpline about how to approach and resolve this situation.

You have the right to play, leisure, and rest. This doesn't mean that you can be out as late as you want or avoid helping with household chores. However, it should be ensured that you also have time to rest, play, and engage in leisure activities such as dancing and football.

Participating in leisure activities often comes with costs, but municipalities have a responsibility to provide free options in your area.

In Norway, the legal age for religious freedom is 15. This means that you can choose to join or leave a religious community when you reach the age of 15. You have the right to change your beliefs or choose not to believe in anything. You also have the right to seek more information about other beliefs in order to form an opinion.

After you turn 15, you also have the right to choose which school you want to attend and which educational path you want to pursue.

No one is allowed to harm or exploit your body. It is also not allowed to spread false information about you that is hurtful or offensive.

Until you reach the age of 12, it is your parents or guardians who decide whether you should see a doctor, psychologist, or other healthcare professionals, and they also determine the treatment, medication, and vaccines you receive. Your parents or those providing you with help should explain what kind of assistance you are receiving and why. You also have the right to be heard and listened to in such situations.

In some specific situations, there may be grounds for not informing your parents that you are receiving help from healthcare professionals.

You can ask healthcare professionals for information on when it is possible to receive help without your parents knowing, and what kind of help you can get.

Between the ages of 12-16, information should not be given to parents or others who have parental responsibility if, for reasons that should be respected, you do not want them to know.

Once you are over 16 years old, you are legally entitled to make decisions about your own health. You can decide whether to change your general practitioner or psychologist.

If you need more information about this, ask a trusted healthcare professional.

Discrimination or harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity is not allowed. Harassment can include actions or expressions that are done to offend or humiliate others, such as kicking, spitting, and insults. This also applies to racist actions and expressions.