Few convicted of honor oppression despite new law

A law criminalising honor oppression introduced in Sweden in 2022 has resulted in only six prosecutions out of 141 police cases, according to a new report from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå). Of those, three defendants were convicted and three acquitted.

Stina Holmberg, a researcher at Brå, said the law’s design is a key reason for the low number of convictions. “The law requires that the victim has been physically assaulted on several occasions, but that is not the typical situation,” she said. “It is usually about another kind of control and restriction, which the law does not capture.” Holmberg added that criminalisation may not be the most effective tool and that measures should be developed in other areas.

Linda Camarena, project leader for the anti-honour oppression organisation Elektra, said that while the law is an important step in signalling that such acts are wrong, more preventive work at an early age is needed. She noted that an official report can worsen the situation for victimscars. “Police and social services need to give young people better protection and support,” she said.

The report covers the first two and a half years after the law took effect. Many victims drop out of the process because of the strain it places on them and because evidence is often lacking, according to Brå. Last Wednesday, the Swedish parliament also approved a new law criminalising psychological violence, set to take effect on 1 July. Stina Holmberg said she believes that could help in honour-related cases.