Sweden has a voluntary sex crime conviction, based on voluntary law, since the consent law came into force on July 1, 2018. The law has resulted in more convictions, but the organizers behind the manifestation in Örebro are not content. Hanna Östeby and Lisa Liljegren both believe that the purpose and goal of the manifestation is to create public opinion and show the deficiencies in the current legal system.
In what way do you mean that sexual crimes are different from other crimes?
"In the sense that the victim of the crime is immediately questioned and becomes suspicious. This is not only happening in the justice system, but also in the media and is generally part of the prevailing systematic repression against women. A man who reports a robbery gets a headline that reads "Man robbed". A woman who reports a rape is entitled "woman suspected of being raped". The difference here is subtle, but crucial in how credible the crime victim actually becomes, ”Hanna Östeby writes to SVT News Örebro.
The low degree of clarification is partly due to the fact that words often stand against words, that there are often no witnesses and other evidence. Now we have a consent law, what else do you think is required for more cases to be cleared?
“ A consent law indicates that we are on the right track, but we still do not have an implemented structural consent culture in society. The victim still receives questions about clothing and alcohol consumption, while the perpetrator is rather excused from any criminal suspicions if they have alcohol in their blood. A change in society is required and in order for it to move forward it requires education to be given to the judiciary as well as to school, health care professionals and other social organizations, about what a sexual crime is, how it can look, look and so on ”. , writes Lisa Liljegren.
"Goal setting should not mean she is lying"Hanna Östeby also agrees that the consent form should be seen as a step in the right direction.
"But it is certainly not enough. The most important thing we need to correct is how we look at the experiences of vulnerable women. Nobody says men should be sentenced without evidence, but sexual offenses must be prioritized, women should not be questioned, perpetrators should not be excused, protection from being prosecuted for slander should be, and most importantly: that words stand against words and that a set goal should never mean that she is lying, ”writes Hanna Östeby.
More events are waiting, both in Örebro and in other cities in the country.