Fewer ninth-graders report being victims of crime

Fewer ninth-grade students say they have been victims of crime, with the share at its lowest level since 2015, according to a new survey from Sweden’s National Council for Crime Prevention, reported by SVT.

The Council’s 2025 School Survey on Crime found that 42 per cent of students said they had experienced theft, assault, threats, robbery or a sexual offence at least once in the previous 12 months. The share has fallen from 50.6 per cent in 2017, continuing a downward trend, the council said.

The survey also found a decline in the share of students reporting that they had committed violent offences, theft, vandalism or drug offences. Just under half said they had committed one or more of these offences. The council said it is not yet clear whether the decrease marks a change in the trend.

For the first time, the survey asked about disability and sexual orientation. Students with a disability and those who identified as other than heterosexual more often reported being victims of crime.

Boys and girls reported victimisation at similar rates: 42.2 per cent and 41.2 per cent, respectively. Theft was the most commonly reported offence for both groups, followed by assault. Boys more often reported assault, robbery and theft, while girls more often reported threats and sexual offences.

The biennial survey asked 4,656 ninth-grade students about their experiences of, and involvement in, crime during the previous 12 months. The council said reported victimisation varies by offence type, but theft has been the most commonly reported crime in every survey.