Sweden investigates soaring number of rapes

Sweden has launched an investigation into the soaring number of rapes after it emerged that one in 24 women have fallen victim to a sexual offence.

The Swedish Crime Survey found that 4.1 per cent of women had experienced some form of sexual offence between 2012 and 2016.

The country’s Moderate Party has now demanded to know if the alarming figures are linked to migration after a probe was launched to find out the reason for the spike in incidents.

Sweden’s National Council on Crime Prevention (Brå) carried out the survey, which was published in November 2017 and has now been tasked with examining the increase, according to The Local.

Participants were told that the term ‘sexual offences’ covered a range of crimes from assault to exhibitionism. Figures were drawn from the answers given rather than from police reports. 

Government bosses have urged (Brå) to determine ‘to the greatest extent possible’ how the increase has developed – including an analysis on whether it can be linked to a particular group of perpetrators, according to The Local.

The Swedish Crime Survey found that 4.1 per cent of women had been subjected to some form of sexual offence between 2012 and 2016. Pictured: Two Swedish street security wardens

At the time of the publication of the survey, Åsa Strid from Brå told The Local: ‘These results raise a number of questions about why so many more people are reporting that they have experienced sexual offences.’

The group’s media officer said it had received its orders to carry out an investigation but that the work was still at the early stages.

Last year’s survey also found that the proportion of Sweden’s population who had been victims of ‘crime against an individual’ was at its highest since 2006, when records began. This included crimes such as sexual offences, assault, threats, muggings and fraud.