Violent crime and crime victims

Charlotte Nordström (M)

Madam Speaker! Behind every crime victim is a human being whose life has been fundamentally changed. It could be a woman who no longer dares to go out in the evening, a retiree who has lost their life savings, or a child who can never get their childhood back. When we talk about strengthened protection for crime victims, we are talking about real people, not about statistics or ideology. We are talking about people who, in their most vulnerable moment, need to feel the full support of society, not just in words but also in action.

Our government has already placed crime victims at the center of politics from day one. In the Tidö Agreement, we made it clear that increased efforts shall be made so that crime victims have full knowledge of their rights and opportunities for help and support. These are not empty words, but it is a promise that we are now systematically working towards fulfilling.

The Swedish Police Authority, the Prosecution Authority, and the National Courts Administration have received a clear mandate to strengthen the work regarding support for crime victims and witnesses. We have also expanded the obligation to pay fees to the Crime Victims Fund to strengthen its financing capacity. A new ordinance on state grants to women's and girls' shelters and other non-profit organizations within the crime victim area has also been implemented. The grant shall strengthen civil society's opportunities to contribute to improving the living conditions for those who have been subjected to, or risk being subjected to, violence.

For all too long, the focus has been on the perpetrator's needs instead of on the crime victims. It is unreasonable that the person who is subjected to a crime that leads to a conviction with damages themselves should have to drive a process via the Enforcement Authority in order to try to get the money out. The legislative changes that are now underway mean that crime victims will receive money directly from the Crime Victim Authority as soon as the judgment becomes final.

It will then be the authority's job, not the crime victim's, to demand the money back from the perpetrators. This makes the process both simpler and faster for those affected by crime. For the Moderate-led government, it is a matter of course to stand on the side of the crime victims. The legislative changes are expected to enter into force as early as next year.

Madam Speaker! When a person is subjected to a crime, her sense of security collapses. In that moment, she needs to know that society stands stronger than ever behind her, but not just through fine words, but through concrete actions and through a justice system that sees and hears her and stands up for her. That is why we take a holistic approach so that all actors in the justice chain take their responsibility. That is why we shall ensure that crime victims receive information, support, and a good reception throughout the entire legal process. It is also why we strengthen both the authorities' and civil society's opportunities to help. For us, a strong crime victim perspective is non-negotiable. It is a matter of basic decency and of respect for the one whose security has been violated.

When a child falls victim to a crime, society has a special responsibility. It is not just about prosecuting the perpetrator but also about embracing the child with legal certainty, competence, and humanity. The Government is conducting extensive work for young crime victims. The investigation "A childhood free from violence" has provided concrete proposals that are now being carefully prepared. The Children's Ombudsman is developing methods for children's participation with a special focus on the most vulnerable. The Crime Victim Authority is working with targeted educational initiatives for actors in the justice system. The National Audit Office is conducting a thorough review of the entire strategic children's rights work. These are not empty words. It is a systematic work, which is now in full swing.

What is described regarding the fact that the requirement for promptness in children's cases is not being upheld is worrying. This must be rectified as soon as possible. Existing rules shall be complied with. The investigation considers that a time limit is needed in criminal cases when children are victims. Waiting times in court must be shortened. The referral regarding investigation time when children are subjected to crime is currently being prepared by the government.

Equally concerning is the situation regarding sexual abuse material online. A proposal is now being prepared within the Government Offices for a permanent so-called hotline to help children get the material removed from the internet.

A child who encounters the justice system has the right to be listened to, to receive information, and to feel security in a process that can also seem intimidating for many adults. It requires systematic competence building, improved cooperation between authorities, and concrete changes in how work is performed.

Madam President! Violence in close relationships is one of society's darkest expressions. It destroys homes and security for far too many. Here, we can and must never compromise. Since taking office, the Government has been clear that the issue of preventing and combating men's violence against women is a priority.

It is important that the severity of the crime is reflected in the punishment for the crime. It is about the victim receiving redress but also about preventing recidivism. In March, the government submitted a bill, entering into force in July 2025, regarding expanded possibilities to decide on restraining orders to protect vulnerable persons. We are significantly tightening the legislation. We strengthen the possibility of electronic surveillance in connection with restraining orders, and it shall be able to cover larger geographical areas. The purpose is to improve the protection for women and children who risk being subjected to violence and other violations in close relationships.

We are working for stronger protection for those subjected to violence. Since July 1, 2024, improved conditions have applied for a tenant who has been subjected to violence by a close relative to retain their housing and take over a rental contract. We have strengthened cooperation between authorities. Several central authorities have received clear mandates to develop effective methods to prevent and stop violence in close relationships and to identify any obstacles to cooperation.

The questions regarding support for women who are victims of violence and report crimes, as well as regarding post-violence, are already covered by ongoing work. Socialstyrelsen has been tasked with preparing proposals for a coordinated support chain for victims of violence. The Government has appointed a special investigator who shall review the rules on the division of property process to ensure a functioning, efficient, and legally secure order for those who wish to separate and to counter economic violence. That assignment is to be reported in December.

Madam President! Our policy rests on a clear conviction. Violence is never acceptable. The victim's safety always comes first. The Government is pursuing a coherent policy with powerful measures on several fronts simultaneously. We have a broad and systematic approach where we attack the problem from several sides at once.

When history is written, I want it to tell of a government that dared to take action to strengthen the position of crime victims, that did more than just talk, that understood that behind every figure in the statistics there is a face, a story, a human being. Our political starting points here in the chamber differ. But I believe that we can all here inside agree that combating violence in close relationships is one of society's most important tasks. Even though we have different approaches on how this is best done, I am convinced that the broad consensus on this subject is a strength.

Madam President! I am pleased that much has been addressed or will be addressed by the government. It concerns everything from decisions and submitted bills to ongoing investigation and preparatory work. With reference to that, I request approval of the committee's proposal that the Riksdag shall reject all motion requests in the report.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Gudrun Nordborg (V)

Madam President! I would first like to address Charlotte Nordström and thank her for her commitment to the issue of violence against women and children. We share that commitment, and it is extremely important. I mean that it is a cornerstone for both criminal policy and social policy work. I can also agree that a good number of positive reforms have come from the government recently.

But then there is this issue with the holistic view. It is sometimes the case that law reforms and important steps are not followed up with economic resources. It could be about the Prison and Probation Service, which now is unable to maintain good crime and recidivism prevention work. But if we go back to the crime victim perspective, it is the case that social services and the opportunities to provide support to women and children are being cut. You also change the opportunities for the shelters to operate protected housing, which is enormously important. There, we have a competence that is built up through strong public education, I would like to assert. They follow the research front very closely and sometimes make stronger interventions than what social services in public administration can do.

I would wish that we could also broaden the perspectives. My question then becomes whether Charlotte Nordström can stand up to that we do so. It is not the Justice Committee's primary task. But I mean that it is our policy's primary task to ensure that the whole functions.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Charlotte Nordström (M)

Madam Speaker! I would like to extend a big thank you to the Member for the fine praise I received and for her support of the government's reforms. As I said, it is about us strengthening the work and expanding the fee obligation to the Crime Victims Fund to provide funds to civil society together with the crime-preventive authorities. It is not at all just about money. This is a discussion the Member and I have had previously. It is also about what one does with the money. It is there that we believe one must become more efficient in their work with cooperation. I also believe that is the solution. But we are investing money in this, and it is necessary. If more is needed, we will review that. But it is not a task for our committee.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Gudrun Nordborg (V)

Madam President! I also appreciate these supports to the Crime Victims Fund. I myself have worked for a long time at the Crime Victims Authority and with those issues. I know that money going to the Crime Victims Fund can do a great deal of good, for example when it comes to research, where we have significantly broadened perspectives in a way that the public sector has not always been able to provide. One has also been able to support very important projects that have dealt with everything from handling to education within the emergency services, the police, the judiciary and so on, and which have significantly improved the situation for those crime victims who come into contact with the justice system. That is important. But I mean that it is even more important that we get close to those who are crime victims and who have recently been exposed, so that they receive continued competent support. There, the emergency services are incredibly important. The Fund, for example, does not provide funds to the protected housing. They must come from elsewhere.

I have appreciated the reforms from the government that were mentioned and which have truly come closer to the victims of crime. Then I have been skeptical about some other things, but that will have to be another debate. I wonder how we could move forward to support protected housing in a competent way. Can we agree on anything there?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Charlotte Nordström (M)

Madam Speaker! Now there is a risk that I will end up in the old municipal board chairmanship role again, Madam Speaker! I want to try to stick to the Justice Committee. I believe in and am positive that one can work with the issues, and I believe that Madam Speaker is aware of my great commitment to them.

What we in the Committee on Justice and the government do and have done involves, among other things, giving the Crime Victim Authority the mandate to work and providing clear directives. All crime prevention authorities have clear directives to provide supportive measures.

It is about concrete actions and, once again, not so much about money. It is about providing support. The Crime Victim Authority is working with targeted educational initiatives for the actors in the justice system. It will also play a role for the remaining parts.

I will not go into financing and what municipalities and regions can do together with these patrols to support the women on site, which we have discussed before.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Sanna Backeskog (S)

Madam Speaker! This is now the third time that I am participating in the Riksdag's committee debate on violent crime and crime victims. During this parliamentary term, we have addressed several important issues concerning the vulnerability of crime victims and the rights of crime victims.

We have in our speeches highlighted men's violence against women, both physically as well as psychologically and sexually. We have highlighted honor-related violence and oppression, prostitution and human trafficking and crimes against particularly vulnerable crime victims such as children, young people, the elderly and people with disabilities. It has often occurred in political consensus that the position of crime victims continues to need to be strengthened, and that is good.

In this speech, I want to place special emphasis on talking about the children. It is about children and young people who are exposed to crime in school, on social media, in young relationships, on the street, in the back seat of someone's car, or in the sports club. It is about all the children who today all over our country are exposed to violence in the place where they should be most safe, at home.

No child should have to be subjected to a serious crime. When they do, the collective resources of society must be there to ensure the child's rights, protection, support, and redress.

The consequences for children exposed to violence are extremely serious. This applies particularly when it involves more severe forms of criminal exposure and when the perpetrator is an adult relative of the child. It can mean lifelong emotional consequences, and the risk of, for example, PTSD is imminent. There is a great risk of mental ill-health, and it has consequences for the child's self-esteem and affect regulation. One can also see poorer school results and substance abuse issues among children exposed to violence.

The conditions for safe and trusting relationships with others also deteriorate. Children who have been subjected to violence in the home run a higher risk of being subjected to it in adulthood or of becoming a perpetrator themselves.

Police and prosecutors are required by law to investigate serious crimes against children within 90 days, but many children have to wait significantly longer than that. According to Rädda Barnen, more than every third child has had to wait more than 90 days for a decision on prosecution, and the development continues to go in the wrong direction.

Furthermore, large differences are seen across the country regarding investigation times, indictments, and prosecuted crime suspects. Even the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child points out municipal and regional differences for children affected by crime in the justice system as an area where Sweden must take measures for equal treatment.

In addition to the general strain it entails to be the subject of a criminal investigation and the particular strain it means for a child, long investigation times can also result in a weaker evidentiary position.

A preliminary investigation that drags on also risks delaying both the social services' and the health and medical care's opportunities to provide support and protection measures for the child. This is usually justified by that the measures should not interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation or that the child's situation is not considered sufficiently stable during an ongoing investigation or criminal proceedings.

The consequences of long processing times risk worsening both the child's health and the opportunities for protection, support, and treatment. When the suspected perpetrator is a guardian the child lives with, it is of course extra serious if the social services' protection investigation is put on hold.

The investigation "A childhood free from violence" had, within the framework of a national strategy to prevent and combat violence against children, among other tasks, the assignment to review the criminal proceedings for children who have been subjected to violence.

The investigation finds that there are a number of deficiencies in how Sweden works with providing support and protection, promoting participation, and providing access to treatment and redress for children exposed to crime.

Madam President! Sweden must be able to do better than this, Sweden which in many ways has been a pioneer when it comes to children's rights issues.

The connection between being subjected to violence in the home and oneself becoming a perpetrator or being lured into violence-oriented and criminal groups can also not be ignored. DN had a report shortly before Christmas with an article featuring a British researcher who states that young boys who end up in gang criminality have often experienced violence in the home during childhood. The violence has affected self-esteem and created a sense of powerlessness. The research sees that these boys try to recreate self-esteem through a position in criminal contexts.

The Children's Ombudsman makes the same observation in the report that arrived just now. There has always been violence, i.e., when there have been problems. It highlights the upbringing and living conditions of children and young people and the risk of being involved in and exploited by crime.

In the report, the Children's Ombudsman has received 560 survey responses and conducted in-depth interviews with 88 children and young people who are in locked institutions. The result is perhaps not directly surprising, but it is completely depressing. A majority of the participants in the study have grown up under unsafe conditions with physical and mental violence, neglect, or honor-related violence and oppression.

Actively working for children's right to a childhood free from violence is also an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to breaking the recruitment and the vulnerability of being drawn into criminal gangs.

Madam President! I also want to say something about our other reservations in this report.

Many are the stories of the loneliness when you are subjected to violence in close relationships. There is a significant risk that too much responsibility is placed on the person subjected to violence. She must dare to leave, she must gather evidence and report it, she must protect her children and she must live in hiding. The cooperation between the involved authorities must become much better.

The social and physical security for those who report the crimes must be strengthened, and society needs to be present all the way. This must also apply after the break-up and any potential prosecution so that the woman dares to leave, and knows that society is there even then.

I also want to say something about post-violence. It is a term for the violence that the man continues to subject the woman to even though she has left the relationship. It is, therefore, the term despite a very ongoing violence. It is a new spiral of violence that begins.

It can involve psychological violence, threats, recurring custody disputes, delay of division of property, spreading of rumors and economic violence. It is therefore about the perpetrator continuing to use all means at their disposal to be able to maintain control and power over the woman and to limit her freedom and safety.

The aftermath of violence has serious consequences for the children and for the possibility of building a safe new life free from violence. Housing and self-sufficiency are central parts, as are the children's opportunity for schooling and support and treatment. Much more must be done for those who are vulnerable. But the light must also be directed towards the perpetrator, and his opportunities for continued violence must be stopped and crimes prosecuted.

Madam President! When it comes to support for those affected by violence, civil society plays a decisive role for many. Civil society is an important part of our fundamental democracy. It is needed to offer support to the individual, to engage and educate. It is also an important voice in the societal debate.

I know that non-profit organizations such as Brottsofferjouren, Unizon and Roks provide a vital support for many victims of crime.

Madam President! I want to highlight two problems here where I hope we can reach a consensus. Brottsofferjouren has received a reduced appropriation of 60 percent for specifically its work on women's peace, which affects the women exposed to violence who seek support and help there. That is the first.

The second problem that must be highlighted is that the legislation on the permit requirement for protected housing is underfunded. Dagens Nyheter reported last week that several protected residences for women and children exposed to violence have been forced to close since the stricter legal requirements were introduced last year. This is most clearly seen in northern Sweden. The risk is imminent that the woman remains in a violent relationship because there is nowhere else to go.

We Social Democrats want all outsourced operation of protected housing to be reserved for idea-based organizations to ensure quality and protection, and that the state support to non-profit organizations working with support for crime victims shall be sufficient and long-term.

We have a responsibility here in the chamber of the Riksdag to ensure that the whole of society is there for those affected by crime: the law enforcement authorities, the municipal and regional welfare, and a supportive civil society. Anything else is a failure.

In conclusion: I stand behind all our reservations, but I move for approval only to reservation 2 regarding post-violence.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Torsten Elofsson (KD)

Madam Speaker! In September 2022, the Swedish people went to the polls to elect their representatives in this chamber. An escalating and brutalized crime of violence in the form of shootings, explosions, and robbery by humiliation, and years of failed migration policy meant that safety was at the top of the agenda, and with all right.

The people chose a new government in the hope of change. Since taking office, the government within the framework of the Tidö Agreement has worked relentlessly to reverse the spiral of violence and strike against gang crime and organized crime that has grown strong.

The law enforcement authorities and the justice system have received increased appropriations and new powerful tools. New legislation is in place, and more is on the way. The penalties for serious crimes have been tightened, and new coercive measures are in place.

The clearance rate for serious violent crimes in gang environments has increased significantly, from 20 percent to over 70 percent. In detention centers and correctional facilities, there is a struggle with overcrowding, and at Sis facilities, 240 young people aged 15–17 are currently held, of whom 40 percent are serving sentences for murder or attempted and prepared murder.

Madam Speaker! The police are making powerful efforts against violent crime, but it remains at a very high level. In the days before Easter, two people were shot dead in Biskopsgården in Gothenburg. The following day, two people were shot in Eslöv, one of whom has life-threatening injuries. Another day later, a man was shot in Gislaved. During the Easter weekend, a 15-year-old Swede was also arrested in Australia, of all places, suspected of involvement in murder with links to Denmark and Sweden. During the Easter weekend, additionally, about ten explosive charges detonated in different places in our country. This is a small selection of what happened during the past weekend alone.

Madam President! In order to understand the magnitude of what is happening, I would like to provide a brief situational overview. Over the last 20 years, organized crime has grown significantly and strengthened its position. In 2024, barely 1.5 million crimes were reported to the police. Around 400,000 of these can today be linked to gang crime and organized crime, while reported so-called everyday crimes in the form of theft, property damage, and assault have actually decreased.

The violence capital is large, and today the police estimate that 35,000 people are involved in firearm violence in one way or another. A conservative calculation shows that at least 1,000 people are drawn into this crime annually. People in our vulnerable areas constitute a very good recruitment base, and furthermore, the recruitment of and access to experts and specialists is increasing.

The negative development is driven by good recruitment opportunities, good organizational opportunities, good profit opportunities, and weak control opportunities. To a large extent, children are now used as both recruiters and perpetrators. Many come from HVB homes or LSS residences and are exploited completely ruthlessly.

There have been some fewer shootings this year, but the tendency is that people are now shooting to kill. More shots are fired, and the risks for a third person have increased. We have 300–400 shootings per year. Of these, just over a hundred lead to someone being injured. The proportion that lead to deaths has increased from 25 to 40 percent, and the proportion of fatal shootings outside of major cities has increased from 15 to 35 percent. The deadly violence is now not solely a phenomenon of the large cities.

The police prosecute perpetrators, seize weapons, monitor a large number of addresses, and strike against organizations and instigators both in Sweden and abroad. We see that a large number of children are recruited or volunteer to commit murders and bombings. New young perpetrators are constantly flowing in. There is a desocialization into a criminal norm that money is not enough for status – to be someone, one must kill.

This is creeping down in the ages. The youngest perpetrator of violence who has been arrested in my hometown Malmö was eleven years old, and in Stockholm, a ten-year-old has been arrested. The recruitment of murderers and other perpetrators of violence is now happening completely openly on social media, where there are also price points for the crimes to be committed.

Madam Speaker! What is it that makes children into killers? Researchers do not seem to have a definitive answer at the moment, but it is clear that Sweden stands out in this regard. Good norms and values have been completely abandoned in favor of a gangster culture where there is no right or wrong anymore other than the right to appoint oneself as an executioner.

The Christian Democrats and the government work every day so that Sweden and our justice system can move forward their positions against brutal violence and reverse the crime development. We are now carrying out the largest criminal policy reorganization in modern times. It is a paradigm shift in the view of violent crimes and crime victims, in the view of redress and justice, and in the view of the perpetrator. We are doing it in a way that has a real effect, but it will not be a quick fix – that everyone involved in this realizes.

To break the development, substantial increased efforts and a high presence of both police and other actors are required. School, social services, the business sector, civic life, and the police must work together to identify young people who show signs of being drawn into crime or alert if they are being subjected to pressure.

Now, the exchange of information between authorities is being improved and simplified. We work to ensure that persons who do not have the right to stay in our country are detained and deported. Permanent residence permits should be revoked if there is grounds for it, and it should also become possible to deprive persons of Swedish citizenship under certain conditions.

The question of very young people committing very serious crimes is complex. The objective must, of course, be that children are not drawn into crime. Here, the parents have a key role, and it is important that they take responsibility for the children's upbringing. The person who has custody of a child shall prevent the child from causing harm to or against anyone else.

A tightening is required here, and the government is now allocating funds for parental support to reach the parents who need support. Secure families create secure children.

Madam Speaker! We will ensure that the entire justice system is expanded. Police and prosecutors will be given more tools. We will tear down secrecy barriers between authorities so that society can work more coordinately and prevent more crimes.

We are intensifying the work against violence in close relationships and honor-based oppression. The police are using a new work methodology with a focus on the perpetrator. Victims of crime will receive strengthened protection, and the possibilities to issue restraining orders and the possibilities for the use of electronic ankle bracelets are increased.

In addition to this, we Christian Democrats also want to see measures to strengthen the important work of the Crime Victim Support Service through increased resources. We also want to see an increase in the income limit for legal aid so that more people can benefit from it. The question of cost, not being able to afford a legal representative, should not constitute a barrier to having one's case examined.

There is much more to say, but I see that I have exceeded my speaking time. I therefore move, Madam Speaker, for approval of the committee's proposal in the report.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Katja Nyberg (SD)

Madam President! Crimes of violence, especially violence in close relationships, constitute a serious societal problem. It is a betrayal that occurs where safety should be at its greatest – in the home, in the family, and in the relationship.

It is also an area where the public sector has lagged behind for a long time, both regarding preventive measures and regarding the support offered to crime victims. It is therefore pleasing that we have now, through the Tidö Agreement, taken important steps to restore safety.

A lot is underway. In the field of criminal law, a clear shift in perspective is now being carried out, where the needs of crime victims and society's need for protection are at the center. The penalties for aggravated violation of a woman's integrity and crimes against restraining orders have been tightened. From July this year, the possibility to decide on restraining orders will be expanded, particularly after serious crimes in close relationships. Electronic surveillance can now be used as a primary measure. We are also introducing a presumption for restraining orders in particularly serious cases.

These are reforms that the Sweden Democrats have championed for many years. When our policy is realized, Sweden will become better.

Madam President! However, legislative changes are not enough. A functioning holistic system is required – from police and prosecutors to social services and voluntary actors.

Important initiatives are now taking place here. The Police Authority has, through operation Beta, identified and mapped over 700 high-risk actors within domestic violence. This is an example of how crime fighting is directed where it does the most good – against the most dangerous individuals. At the same time, the Police Authority, the Prosecution Authority, and the Prison and Probation Service are now tasked to cooperate to prevent recidivism, improve coordination, and ensure protection for those exposed to violence.

We particularly welcome that cooperation is now also taking place with the Crime Victim Authority and that the work with specialized support measures for crime victims is being strengthened.

Madam Speaker! Another important issue is economic violence where the perpetrator controls, indebts, or sabotages the victim's finances. The National Audit Office has recently initiated a review of the state's efforts in this area, and we look forward to the result. At the same time, a government inquiry is underway on how the division of property process can be improved to protect those subject to violence, especially women who want to separate but risk economic vulnerability.

The Sweden Democrats argue that it is absolutely necessary for legislation to keep pace with reality. Someone who wants to leave a violent relationship should be able to do so without risking losing their home, children, or hope for the future.

Madam Speaker! When we speak about violent crimes, we must also raise honor-related violence. It is a violence that is collectively sanctioned, where entire families and clans participate in the control of, above all, young women's lives. The Government has tasked several authorities to focus specifically on just honor, violence, and vulnerability in youth relationships. For the first time, a common EU helpline number will now also be introduced in Sweden, coordinated by the National Centre for Women's Peace.

The other day, the government also submitted a referral to the Council on Legislation where it is proposed that virginity tests shall become illegal. It will also be prohibited to issue certificates of virginity and to fail to disclose or prevent child marriages or forced marriages. This is a further example that Sweden is now taking the work on equality seriously, and not through symbolic politics but through sharp tools against real oppression.

Madam Speaker! There is a broad consensus that the rule of law must deliver. But there are differences in political will. In this report, the opposition has, as usual, demanded more investigations, more contributions to non-profit organizations, or even more formulations in equality goals. It is not the lack of goals that is the problem – it is the lack of results.

That is why we view the government's governance positively. The focus is on follow-up, evaluation, and actually implementing what has already been decided. Many of the opposition's proposals concern issues that are already subjects of investigation, development, or agency mandates. It is inefficient and symbolic to call upon the Riksdag's power in matters where work is already underway.

The government has allocated over 600 million kronor this year to the work against men's violence against women. This concerns strengthened supervision, a permit requirement for protected housing, improved coordination, more protection mechanisms for children and, not least, a crime victim perspective in the legal process. This is the difference between wanting to change and actually doing it.

The Sweden Democrats will, in cooperation with the Tidö parties, continue to prioritize this work. It is about restoring the rule of law. It is about giving crime victims redress and ensuring that their perpetrators face tangible consequences for their actions.

I vote in favor of the committee's proposal in the report.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Martin Melin (L)

Madam President! Just over 40 years ago, specifically on Midsummer Eve 1987, I worked as a 20-year-old security guard at Postens head office on Vasagatan here in Stockholm. It was my first shift as a security guard. It was also my first job after graduation.

The post office was supposed to be open until 15.00 on this day. My task was to stand at the entrance and ensure that no one entered after the clock had struck three.

When the clock struck, there was only one customer left in the premises. He left the counter and the hatch where he had conducted his business. Just as he passes me, the cashier shouts: Stop him! He robbed me!

The person's and my eyes meet. Then he gets moving on his legs and runs out through the gate, down Vasagatan and further up towards Klarabergsgatan. There I manage to catch up with him, approximately at the level of Åhlénsvaruhuset. When I am only a couple of meters behind him, he turns around, pulls out a revolver, aims it straight at my face and says: You stop! I duck and feel that the odds are not so good, so I let him run away. I jog back to the Posten, where the police have now arrived, and then an interrogation is held with me. After that, I finished and went home – by myself.

My point with this is this: If one does not know how it feels to be a crime victim, it is also not easy to understand the trauma, the vulnerability, and the feeling of loneliness that one feels when one has been subjected to a crime – in my case, having stared straight into a revolver.

It is important that we listen to those who have been victimized and take in how they are doing. Many who have been victims of crimes testify today, unfortunately, that they do not always receive the support they need.

We politicians talk very much about crime victims when we perhaps should talk a bit more with crime victims.

As a police officer, I have handled confused, drugged, crying girls who have called the police from a street where they have been thrown out or evicted from an apartment at six in the morning. They understand or feel that they have been raped. They hardly know where they are, let alone which apartment they have been in or who or who has assaulted them. How do we help such a girl with her questions, feelings of shame, anxiety and fear? Who helps her?

I have also been to the home of the 14-year-old who wet himself because, half an hour earlier, he had a knife pressed against his neck and was forced to give up his jacket. He received two punches to the face and then, while he was lying on the ground, a kick to the stomach. He was spat upon. He is terrified to dare to report it, he is terrified of meeting the perpetrators again, and he is terrified of any potential revenge. How do we help him?

I can probably, even though I myself have been a victim once in a while, still not understand what feelings those two previous crime victims experienced and will probably experience for a long time to come. I know how I felt, and I can empathize with what it is like to need care, support, someone who is there, someone who can help and explain.

It is easy not to think so much about the crime victims, but instead, one focuses on the perpetrator. That is what we have done politically for many years. How will he fare in prison? How shall we ensure that he is well-off despite being locked up? How shall we rehabilitate him, and how can we ensure that he fares well when he comes out? How can we support him?

And that is good. We shall think of the perpetrator, and we shall absolutely ensure that rehabilitation and all such things work.

Madam Speaker! I would still like us to talk much, much more about the crime victims and their relatives and about how we can take care of them in a better way. There is much left to do on that front; everything from how we take care of children who have been forced into criminality, to how we help the woman fleeing from a violent man, to how we provide support to the business owner who is forced to face their perpetrators daily. Furthermore, we have the victim who is forced to eat in the same school cafeteria as their perpetrator. How do we help her or him? In the latter case, it is simple in my world: a perpetrator should not remain in that school.

I think that there is a discrepancy both from the authorities' side and from civil society when it comes to helping crime victims, and I know that in many cases it is about resources, finances, knowledge, and sometimes a lack of understanding. But then we must talk about it.

I know that there are also many good organizations that help crime victims. This applies in particular to the crime victim helplines, support centers, and women's helplines. They function well, but I also want to see that they receive more financial support.

But we must also talk more about how schools and employers should be on board and understand how crime victims feel and suffer. I want crime victims' rights to be moved higher up on the agenda, regardless of in which forum one talks about them or with them.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Gudrun Nordborg (V)

Madam President! I can begin by thanking you for the many reports and empathetic speeches that take a stand for the crime victims. I can say that historically, the concept did not even exist until 1970, and that has also characterized the fact that it has been extremely difficult to include those perspectives. We are not finished yet, even though much has happened during the years since the word first appeared.

I want to begin by moving for approval of reservation 8. I naturally stand behind all the reservations that Vänsterpartiet has submitted, but I consider this one to be the most important. The reservation concerns measures to be taken due to violence pornography.

I have several reasons for raising this reservation. One is that I have on numerous occasions heard women tell that they have been forced to watch violent pornographic material, and then the same scenes have been staged against them, sometimes by their husband or cohabitant, in other cases it has been by strangers. I have unfortunately also heard children tell about this. Children are even more vulnerable when they hear from a perpetrator, whom they do not perceive as a perpetrator but as a general person, that this is how we are going to do it: You watch the film. We are going to do the same.

I can further report, and this is something that you may also have become aware of, that the police officers working against prostitution can find that the sex buyer has with them a tablet with films. Then the same actions are forced upon the woman who is involved in prostitution. This is a form of rape advertising, and it definitely expresses strong misogyny. We must realize that the production of the violence pornography by definition also involves exposing women and children to violence and abuse.

How does it look when we try to handle this? We can find that there are prohibitions against child pornography, and actually also against violence pornography, which is called illegal depiction of violence. Both prohibitions are included in chapter 16 of the Penal Code, which concerns crimes against public order. One does not think about the persons who are involved, but here it is a matter of crimes that have been criminalized because one wants to limit the spread of values and encouragements to violent acts; what one calls preventing deviant behaviors and effects as well as norm shifts.

When we look at the crime of illegal depiction of violence, we can see that there are very few reports and even fewer that lead to prosecution or a conviction. It has been years since we had such a case in Sweden – even though we are flooded with pornographic material.

Roks, the Riksorganisationen för kvinno- och tjejjourer i Sverige, has just this week an action week against pornography. Roks files police reports and tries to create a practice. The organization argues that what is currently happening is that when an agreement is made for a recording of pornographic material, some men escape prosecution for pimping and crimes against the sex purchase act, while women are subjected to sexual violence, abuse, and rape.

Pleasantly enough, a number of investigations have been delivered, including the report Sexual exploitation for pornographic purposes. It is about making the victim of violence visible. In the report, it is suggested that we should increase attention on the area. Furthermore, it is desired that a hotline be funded, where children in particular shall receive help by having material containing sexual abuse removed from the internet. Furthermore, a hotline shall also function as a reporting page where the public can turn to make a report.

For the children, there is a non-profit organization, Ecpat, which supports children and can take down images from the internet where children appear in sexual situations. Ecpat succeeds in that work. What is desired in the investigation is that there should be the same opportunities for both children and adults.

What the investigation also points out is that it occurs that children who are subjected to sexual exploitation are not assessed as being victims of violence, but instead they are described as children with socially destructive behavior. There is a risk that these children do not receive support but are instead pointed out as problematic themselves and are taken into care according to LVU. It is naturally an incorrect description of their situation, in the same way as if one calls it a sexual self-harming behavior. It is about vulnerability that leaves cruel marks.

The referral period expired almost exactly one year ago, and we have still not seen any referral from the Government to the Council on Legislation. In other investigations, the pace of the investigation is faster, unfortunately. Here, I hope, of course, that more is to come.

Another investigation is called Ut ur utsatthet. It also came a while ago; it was presented in December 2023, and the referral period expires in one month. The investigation provides proposals for more organization of programs for children who are exposed to sexual exploitation and human trafficking, as well as proposals for actors who could be important there. It is also proposed that the gender equality sub-goal should be supplemented by focusing on sexual exploitation in pornographic material, in order to protect and achieve more measures against this.

I would also like to add that these arenas are a market where there is also room for organized crime. They are also reaping economic benefits from these activities. Violence thus breeds violence and, in several ways, fosters the development of organized crime.

In summary, I believe that the government should continue to commission inquiries to limit this with violence pornography and implement the inquiry proposals that have already been submitted. These are important inquiries that were referred for consultation quite some time ago.

There is much more to say both about this and about other aspects of crime and crime victims, but I will stop there.

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Ulrika Liljeberg (C)

Madam President! We are debating violent crime and crime victims, and I want to say initially that my thoughts go to those who have been affected by deadly violence, gross violence, and violence of all kinds. It is completely unacceptable. Thoughts go to both those affected and their relatives.

The Centre Party welcomes an increased and greater focus on crime victims and those affected by crime. We view positively the review of the entire criminal law that is now being conducted and the way in which crime victims are highlighted in the directives. The Centre Party's justice policy is based on the crime victim in focus, the principles of the rule of law, and seeing the entire justice chain throughout the country.

We therefore stand behind the large resource reinforcements to the justice system that have been made. But both I and the country's citizens now expect, three years into the mandate period, an increased delivery in accordance with the government's promises.

Regarding crime areas, serious organized crime with shootings and explosions receives great attention – and should, as it is a major problem in society. But as several others have done, we also need to highlight men's, often fatal, violence against women, violence against children, and large-scale crimes. Much of this requires an increased stable and long-term police presence throughout our country, and there is more to be done from the government's side.

In the preparatory work and also in this debate, many important questions have been raised, and I choose to mention some of the questions from our reservations. I want to begin with investigation times in cases of crimes against children.

In the case of a report of a serious crime against a child, the preliminary investigation shall be carried out promptly, and a decision on a potential indictment shall be made within 90 days. This is a prescribed deadline that should only be exceeded if it is necessitated by clear investigative reasons, such as when the case is complex. Nevertheless, the deadline is exceeded in many cases without it being justifiable by the nature of the case. A report from Rädda Barnen shows that more than every third child has had to wait more than 90 days for a decision on indictment.

The long processing times have serious consequences for the child. In addition to the general strain it entails for everyone to be the subject of a criminal investigation, which several here have raised, it is a particular strain when one is a child. It can also result in a weaker evidentiary position.

Children also often have to wait for various forms of interventions until after the preliminary investigation and court process have been concluded – this is so that the interventions do not disturb an ongoing preliminary investigation or because the child's situation is not sufficiently stable during the ongoing investigation or criminal proceedings. But the long processing times risk worsening both the child's health and the possibilities for protection, support, and treatment.

Madam President! It is pleasing to hear that the government and the parties represented here say that work is being done on this, but I want to remind that we are now three years into the parliamentary term. It would be good with a prompt handling both in the Government Offices as well as in the courts and with the police, for the sake of the children. I therefore wish to move for the approval of reservation 6.

I also want to raise this regarding register checks. We in Centerpartiet believe that the checks should cover more occupations and more crimes and occur more often. We believe that more people who work close to children, the elderly, and people with disabilities should be able to be covered than is the case at present. We also believe that more crimes should be included; we have previously raised, among other things, terrorist crimes, but it also applies to many other types of crimes.

Regarding the frequency of checks, we have noted that the investigator in their report – the report that is now being prepared within the Government Offices, which we hope happens expeditiously – considers that a regulation should not be introduced that gives municipal employers the right to systematically perform renewed or ongoing register checks during ongoing employment. It is said that this is with regard to the intrusion into the employee's privacy.

We believe that it is necessary to consider changing this since we are talking about employees who work with the most vulnerable, that is to say children, the elderly and people with disabilities. We believe that their privacy and their vulnerability need to be re-evaluated. We will closely follow the government's handling of the investigation and will probably have reason to return to the issue.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I would like to address the importance of crime prevention work from the perspective of crime victims. The greatest gain from successful crime prevention work is, in fact, not that someone does not become a perpetrator, but that no one will become a target – that no one will be subjected to a crime and become a crime victim. That must always be the ultimate goal for all of us.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jacob Risberg (MP)

Madam President! The Green Party wants to create a society characterized by diversity, equality and justice.

Racism is an ideology and a structure that harms both individuals and societies by creating and maintaining injustices based on skin color, ethnicity, culture, and religion. It is a serious societal challenge that requires deliberate and comprehensive efforts on several levels. Racism restricts people's freedom and safety, and it continues to destroy the conditions for a cohesive and inclusive society.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we work actively to counter racism and discrimination through strategic measures and reforms. As part of the work against racism, it is absolutely necessary to strengthen the entire justice chain's work against racism and hate crimes through education and resources.

Madam Speaker! Men's violence against women is one of Sweden's most serious social problems. The violence can take different forms and occur in different ways, for example physically, mentally, sexually, and economically. During the Green Party's time in government, major efforts were made to combat men's violence against women. Among the major advances made is the 40-point program, which, among other things, concerns preventive measures, support and protection for those exposed to violence, increased penalties, and increased investments in competence and research. It has, among other things, become easier to issue restraining orders and ankle bracelets. The penalty for aggravated crimes against a woman's peace has been tightened, and investments have been made in the police and more special investigators. The penalty for rape and sex buying has been tightened. But much work remains. Crucial is the realization that men's violence against women is just as serious as gang crime.

Men's violence against women does not end when the victim leaves the relationship. That is often when a new spiral of violence begins, post-violence. This can involve, for example, physical, psychological, economic, material, or legal post-violence. Many are threatened during the relationship that they would not manage without the perpetrator, that they would not get a penny, or that they would lose the children. It can involve everything from threats and assault to the spreading of rumors. Shared children are also affected by post-violence. Miljöpartiet wants to appoint an inquiry to map out the different expressions of post-violence and provide concrete proposals for legislative changes regarding all the different expressions of post-violence.

Madam Speaker! In recent years, the problem of conversion attempts directed at LGBTQI persons has been increasingly highlighted, and among the parties in the Riksdag, there is almost total consensus on the importance of establishing a ban. In the Tidö Agreement from the autumn of 2022, a ban on conversion attempts is mentioned as something that the government and SD have agreed to implement. Already in 2020, the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society Affairs was also commissioned by the then government to investigate the occurrence of conversion attempts in Sweden. MUCF could then in its 2022 report state that conversion attempts are something that occurs to a non-negligible extent.

In 2022, an already active investigation was also commissioned to investigate what criminal liability exists today regarding so-called conversion attempts directed at hbtqi persons, as well as whether the criminal law protection should be strengthened. The investigation presented its report in the summer of 2023 and then proposed that conversion attempts should not be criminalized, partly because the investigation argued that the most serious existing means of influence already constitute crimes, for example if hbtqi persons are subjected to influence through actions that constitute unlawful coercion, assault, unlawful deprivation of liberty, unlawful threats, forced marriage, harassment, defamation, insult, or hate speech against a group. The investigation also questioned whether a criminal sanction would constitute an effective means to counter the behavior.

Violent crime and crime victims

The investigation's proposal was met with strong criticism from several organizations within the LGBTQI movement, including RFSL Ungdom, which in a report in the summer of 2024 pointed out the importance of legislation being put in place.

It is clear that conversion attempts are harmful, both for the person who is subjected to them and for hbtqi persons as a group, and can lead to, among other things, stigmatization, mental ill-health, and suicide attempts – even if it is not the methods that are already criminalized that are used. Persons who have been subjected to conversion attempts in Sweden have spoken about, among other things, total social exclusion from an often religious context that has been the person's entire world, constant verbal pressure to change, and other actions aimed at creating shame and guilt and at achieving conversion. This is unacceptable, and it is also likely that conversion attempts can begin with this type of occurrence and then proceed to more severe actions. A ban on conversion attempts would be legislation with a norm-setting effect, and it is legislation that needs to be put in place.

Miljöpartiet therefore wants to see that the government as soon as possible appoints a new investigation with a mandate to investigate how a ban on conversion attempts can be designed.

Madam Speaker! I naturally stand behind all of the Green Party's reservations but move for approval only of reservation 4.

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(A decision was to be taken on 29 April.)

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