Minister for Gender Equality: "Tightening penalties should definitely not be ruled out"

Linda Snecker, the Left Party's legal policy spokesperson, says that she was extremely "appalled and angry" when she read SVT's report that every three weeks a woman in Sweden is killed by her husband.

In its budget bill, which will be presented shortly, the Left will therefore shoot for SEK 50 million, earmarked to strengthen the investigative resources for this type of crime.

- These are difficult crimes to investigate, a lot of technical evidence is required - so the money is for the police, prosecutors and courts, she says.

Big security problem

Minister for Gender Equality Åsa Lindhagen (MP) believes that the efforts that are being made and have been made so far are not sufficient.

She says that the state spends around half a billion kronor to fight men's violence against women, a large part of which goes to the country's women's shelters.

There is also a special investment in relapse prevention measures.

- It's terrible but nothing new.

This is one of our biggest security and gender equality problems, she says.

"Of course you shark"

- Of course you shark when you read that a woman is killed by her husband every three weeks.

You can not believe that it is Sweden it is about - but it is, says Johan Forsell, legal policy spokesman for the Moderates.

He also emphasizes that additions are needed to both the police and the prosecutor's office - even if the party has not earmarked any money for the specific area.

They are also pushing for the issue of increasing the punishment for violating women's rights to one year, an increase of a few months compared to today.

If the legislation were also tightened with regard to repeated crimes, the punishment would be even more noticeable, he emphasizes.

Tightening of penalties is being investigated

Linda Snecker, on the other hand, does not believe that a harsher punishment would have any major effect on these crimes.

- Considering how few are actually prosecuted for the brutality they commit against women, I do not think that harsher punishment is the solution.

Åsa Lindhagen believes that increased penalties as a measure "absolutely should not be ruled out."

- We are currently investigating whether the penalties should be increased for violations of women's rights, she says.