The gang broke Mona's arm - so the girls in the networks are exposed: "I hear that they are the local mattress"

At the end of 2018, a report was released that shows that unexpectedly many women are part of criminal networks.

At the same time, according to the experts that SVT Nyheter spoke to, the women are always at the bottom of the hierarchy in the criminal gangs - and they have a harder time getting help when they want to drop out.

A woman, who works in a business that has good insight into this world, tells SVT Nyheter how it seems that the girls are more active:

- You definitely notice it in how they dress, what company they have and what guys they hang out with.

I actually do not think they're thinking about this.

They want to be one of the guys and do as the guys say.

- Many are also exposed to sexual abuse.

Words I often hear are "local mattress", which means you can sleep with them.

"The situation is serious"

We have chosen to keep the interviewee's name secret, among other things to protect Mona, to whom we will return later.

But she has a good insight into how vulnerable the girls in the criminal gangs are.

- The situation is serious.

There are death threats daily, including via fake Instagram accounts.

Family members are also threatened.

Sisters of some of those who have been murdered out in Järva have been attacked.

It has become more normal to go after girls to punish their relatives, she says and also mentions two cases where women have been killed.

- A few years ago, women were never attacked.

Mona was only 19 years old when she was with a leader in a gang that has been involved in one of the bloodiest conflicts in the Järva field in recent years.

- When they finished, she gave the opposing side the address to many in her boyfriend's network.

Then she was beaten and ended up in hospital.

It was guys who hit her and they broke her arm.

"You can not judge them"

That was two years ago, and today Mona is back in the area after a short stay at a women's shelter.

- She feels that if they want to murder me, they can murder me.

Is it easier for girls to get involved in crime today?

- Yes, but a lot is also about the fact that they think it's cool to be with a guy who has status, money and is popular.

There are certainly those who will say "blame yourself if you get together with a gang member", what do you answer to that?

- It's not easy for these girls.

They are young teenagers who think this is cool.

You can not judge them.

I think that's wrong.