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De osynliga barnen - En redogörelse av den nya brottsrubriceringen barnfridsbrott och dess påverkan på barns straffrättsliga skydd i Sverige

Guardado Lundqvist, Joanna LU (2021) JURM02 20211
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Våld i nära relationer har länge varit ett stort samhällsproblem. Problematiken utgörs framförallt av systematiskt våld från en närstående, ibland även med dödlig utgång. Våldet förekommer ofta i hemmet och forskning har visat att kvinnor drabbas i större utsträckningen av grövre våld i jämförelse med män. Vid närmare samtal om ämnet har man funnit ytterligare en särskilt utsatt grupp som ofta faller mellan stolarna, nämligen barnen i de hem där våldet utövas. Det föreligger ofta ett stigma kring våld inom familjen där man gärna hemlighåller det och att prata om det med utomstående anses klandervärt och skamligt. Detta resulterar i att våldet osynliggörs och att mörkertalet för barn som bevittnar våld i hemmet är stort.

Enligt svensk... (More)
Våld i nära relationer har länge varit ett stort samhällsproblem. Problematiken utgörs framförallt av systematiskt våld från en närstående, ibland även med dödlig utgång. Våldet förekommer ofta i hemmet och forskning har visat att kvinnor drabbas i större utsträckningen av grövre våld i jämförelse med män. Vid närmare samtal om ämnet har man funnit ytterligare en särskilt utsatt grupp som ofta faller mellan stolarna, nämligen barnen i de hem där våldet utövas. Det föreligger ofta ett stigma kring våld inom familjen där man gärna hemlighåller det och att prata om det med utomstående anses klandervärt och skamligt. Detta resulterar i att våldet osynliggörs och att mörkertalet för barn som bevittnar våld i hemmet är stort.

Enligt svensk rätt är det klarlagt att det barn som bevittnar våld har ett svagt straffrättsligt skydd som dessutom knappt är i linje med de åtaganden Sverige har enligt barnkonventionen. Huvudsakligen är det tre (3) artiklar i konventionen som påverkas av det aktuella rättsområdet.
Artikel 3 om barnets bästa, artikel 12 om barnets rätt att få sin åsikt hörd och respekterad samt artikel 19 om barnens rätt att skyddas mot fysiskt och psykiskt våld. Det bestämdes därför att det var nödvändigt att införa en ny brottsrubricering benämnd barnfridsbrott. Lagändringen
förväntas träda i kraft 1 juli 2021. Barnfridsbrottet syftar till att kriminalisera våldshandlingar som sker i hemmet mellan närstående till barnet och som dessutom bevittnas av barnet. Det kommer framförallt omfatta grövre vålds- och sexualbrott och det räcker att barnen sett eller hört det för att brottsrubriceringen ska kunna tillämpas.
Mot bakgrund av detta arbete kan det konstateras att den nya lagändringen kommer innebära en mängd olika förändringar för barns straffrättsliga skydd på området. En av de största förändringarna är deras roll som målsägande istället för brottsoffer. Det kommer leda till mer inflytande för barn i de rättsprocesser som rör dem själva. Det kommer även förtydliga för samhället att barn har ett särskilt skyddsvärt intresse även i de här frågorna samt på vilket sätt
yrkesverksamma personer ska bemöta dem. Dessutom kommer det således hjälpa Sverige att nå upp till sina åtaganden gällande Barnkonventionen. Detta innebär dock inte att resan mot att stärka barns straffrättsliga rättigheter vid våld i nära relationer är över. Sveriges dynamiska
rättssystem innebär att vi ständigt måste se över lagstiftningen, erkänna problemen och åtgärda där det behövs i takt med att samhället förändras. (Less)
Abstract
Domestic violence has long been a major societal issue. Domestic violence usually consists of systematic violence from a close relative, sometimes even with a fatal outcome. Research has shown that women are affected to a greater extent by more serious violence in comparison to
men. During closer discussions on the subject another particularly vulnerable group has been found to often fall between the cracks, namely the children in the homes where the violence is perpetrated. Domestic violence within a family is often a close kept secret. Discussing it with outsiders can be considered reprehensible and shameful. As a result, the violence is made invisible, and a large number of children affected by witnessing the violence.

Under... (More)
Domestic violence has long been a major societal issue. Domestic violence usually consists of systematic violence from a close relative, sometimes even with a fatal outcome. Research has shown that women are affected to a greater extent by more serious violence in comparison to
men. During closer discussions on the subject another particularly vulnerable group has been found to often fall between the cracks, namely the children in the homes where the violence is perpetrated. Domestic violence within a family is often a close kept secret. Discussing it with outsiders can be considered reprehensible and shameful. As a result, the violence is made invisible, and a large number of children affected by witnessing the violence.

Under Swedish law it is clear that the criminal law protection for these children is weak and barely in line with the obligations Sweden has under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

There are three (3) articles in particular from the convention that are affected by the current area of law. Article 3 on the best interests of the child, article 12 on the child's right to have his or her opinion heard and respected, and article 19 on the children's right to be protected from physical and psychological violence. It was therefore decided that it was necessary to introduce a new criminal classification called barnfridsbrott. The change in the law is expected to enter
into force on the 1st July 2021. Barnfridsbrottet aims to criminalize acts of violence between people with close relationship to the child and is witnessed by the child. It will mainly include more serious violent and sexual crimes and it is enough that the children have seen or heard it for it to apply.

In the light of this work, it can be stated that the new change in the law will affect children's criminal protection in the area of law to a great extent. One of the biggest reasons being their role as plaintiffs instead of victims of crime, which will give them more influence in lawsuits that concern themselves. It will also make it clear to society that children have a role worthy of protection in these matters as well, and in what way professionals should respond to it. In addition, it will thus help Sweden meet its commitments regarding the Convention on the
Rights of the Child. However, this does not mean that the journey towards strengthening children's rights in the event of violence in close relationships is over. Sweden's dynamic legal system means that we must constantly review legislation, acknowledge the problems and
remedy where necessary as society changes. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Guardado Lundqvist, Joanna LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
The invisible children - A report on the new criminal classification called barnfridsbrott and its impact on children's criminal protection in Sweden
course
JURM02 20211
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
straffrätt, barnfridsbrott
language
Swedish
id
9046523
date added to LUP
2021-06-28 11:08:10
date last changed
2022-07-07 14:31:43
@misc{9046523,
  abstract     = {{Domestic violence has long been a major societal issue. Domestic violence usually consists of systematic violence from a close relative, sometimes even with a fatal outcome. Research has shown that women are affected to a greater extent by more serious violence in comparison to 
men. During closer discussions on the subject another particularly vulnerable group has been found to often fall between the cracks, namely the children in the homes where the violence is perpetrated. Domestic violence within a family is often a close kept secret. Discussing it with outsiders can be considered reprehensible and shameful. As a result, the violence is made invisible, and a large number of children affected by witnessing the violence.

Under Swedish law it is clear that the criminal law protection for these children is weak and barely in line with the obligations Sweden has under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

There are three (3) articles in particular from the convention that are affected by the current area of law. Article 3 on the best interests of the child, article 12 on the child's right to have his or her opinion heard and respected, and article 19 on the children's right to be protected from physical and psychological violence. It was therefore decided that it was necessary to introduce a new criminal classification called barnfridsbrott. The change in the law is expected to enter 
into force on the 1st July 2021. Barnfridsbrottet aims to criminalize acts of violence between people with close relationship to the child and is witnessed by the child. It will mainly include more serious violent and sexual crimes and it is enough that the children have seen or heard it for it to apply.

In the light of this work, it can be stated that the new change in the law will affect children's criminal protection in the area of law to a great extent. One of the biggest reasons being their role as plaintiffs instead of victims of crime, which will give them more influence in lawsuits that concern themselves. It will also make it clear to society that children have a role worthy of protection in these matters as well, and in what way professionals should respond to it. In addition, it will thus help Sweden meet its commitments regarding the Convention on the 
Rights of the Child. However, this does not mean that the journey towards strengthening children's rights in the event of violence in close relationships is over. Sweden's dynamic legal system means that we must constantly review legislation, acknowledge the problems and 
remedy where necessary as society changes.}},
  author       = {{Guardado Lundqvist, Joanna}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{De osynliga barnen - En redogörelse av den nya brottsrubriceringen barnfridsbrott och dess påverkan på barns straffrättsliga skydd i Sverige}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}