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Samtyckeslagen - en vinst för brottsoffret?

Elmqvist, Linda LU (2018) JURM02 20182
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Den svenska sexualbrottslagstiftningen har genomgått stora förändringar över åren. Våldtäktsbestämmelsen har på olika sätt utvidgats och tvångskravet har sänkts med tiden. Syftet har delvis varit att förstärka och tydliggöra rätten till sexuellt självbestämmande och sexuell integritet. Detta är två begrepp som har varit återkommande i sexualbrottslagstiftningen under senare år. Trots detta har tvång eller otillbörligt utnyttjande tidigare varit nödvändiga förutsättningar för att en person skulle kunna dömas för våldtäkt. Efter den 1 juli 2018 går gränsen för straffbar gärning istället vid huruvida deltagandet varit frivilligt eller inte. Lagändringen utvidgade våldtäktsbestämmelsen på flera sätt. Dessutom infördes brottsbeteckningen... (More)
Den svenska sexualbrottslagstiftningen har genomgått stora förändringar över åren. Våldtäktsbestämmelsen har på olika sätt utvidgats och tvångskravet har sänkts med tiden. Syftet har delvis varit att förstärka och tydliggöra rätten till sexuellt självbestämmande och sexuell integritet. Detta är två begrepp som har varit återkommande i sexualbrottslagstiftningen under senare år. Trots detta har tvång eller otillbörligt utnyttjande tidigare varit nödvändiga förutsättningar för att en person skulle kunna dömas för våldtäkt. Efter den 1 juli 2018 går gränsen för straffbar gärning istället vid huruvida deltagandet varit frivilligt eller inte. Lagändringen utvidgade våldtäktsbestämmelsen på flera sätt. Dessutom infördes brottsbeteckningen oaktsam våldtäkt i 6 kap. 1a § BrB.

Frågan om Sverige skulle ändra sin sexualbrottslagstiftning till att grundas på bristande frivillighet har diskuterats de senaste 20 åren. En samtyckeslag har ansetts kunna förstärka den sexuella självbestämmanderätten och sexuella integriteten. Den ansågs vidare kunna komma åt situationer där en person utsatts för sexualhandlingar mot sin vilja men där det inte förekommit tvång eller otillbörligt utnyttjande. Risken för att en lagändring skulle medföra ökat fokus på brottsoffret har dock varit ett tungt vägande argument mot en samtyckeslag.

Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka om samtyckeslagen kan sägas förstärka den sexuella självbestämmanderätten och sexuella integriteten samt vilka konsekvenser samtyckeslagen kan komma att få ur ett brottsofferperspektiv. Uppsatsen redogör för den diskussion som förts rörande samtyckeslagen i både förarbeten och doktrin och kopplar denna diskussion till domstolsavgöranden som rör samtyckeslagen.

Eftersom frivilligheten numera är avgörande framhävs den sexuella självbestämmanderätten och brottsoffrets kränkning. Samtyckeslagen ger personer ett ökat skydd att bestämma och den signalerar att en person först är tillgänglig när denne uttryckt frivillighet. Härigenom erkänns och tydliggörs rätten till sexuellt självbestämmande och sexuell integritet. Det finns dock fortfarande situationer som faller utanför lagens tillämpningsområde. I flera av domstolsavgörandena som jag studerat läggs fortfarande vikt vid brottsoffrets agerande och det framstår nästan som ett krav att denne ska ha agerat på ett visst sätt i anslutning till sexualhandlingen. Det finns därför anledning att ifrågasätta hur mycket den sexuella självbestämmanderätten och sexuella integriteten förstärkts. Samtyckeslagen sänder dock en viktig signal till samhället. Detta i kombination med information kan på sikt förstärka den sexuella självbestämmanderätten och sexuella integriteten.

Utvidgningen av våldtäktsbestämmelsen och införandet av brottsbeteckningen oaktsam våldtäkt ger fler brottsoffer möjlighet till upprättelse. Domstolsavgörandena visar dock att det fortfarande läggs stort fokus på målsäganden, särskilt då den tilltalade gör en samtyckesinvändning. Det läggs även vikt vid omständigheter som kan diskuteras om de har rättslig relevans. Domstolens ansvar att se till att inget onödigt dras in i målet och att avvisa vissa frågor blir därför extra viktigt. Samtyckeslagen har inte medfört någon förändring gällande bevisningen. Bevisproblematiken i våldtäktsmål kvarstår därför men kan inte anses ha ökat. Även om tvångskravet var lågt satt och brottsoffrets vilja beaktades redan tidigare var tvång eller otillbörligt utnyttjande nödvändiga rekvisit. Samtyckeslagen får därför betydelse i de fall när brottsoffret reagerat med passivitet vilket gjort att gärningsmannen inte behövt använda tvång. Detta blir tydligt genom flera domstolsavgöranden där de tilltalade förmodligen inte hade dömts med tidigare lagstiftning. (Less)
Abstract
The Swedish legislation on sexual offences has been subject to major changes over the years. The provision of rape has in various ways been extended and the coercion requirement has been reduced over time. The purpose of the changes has partly been to strengthen and clarify the sexual integrity and self-determination – two concepts that have been recurring in the legislation on sexual offences in recent years. Despite this, the sexual act earlier had to be combined with coercion or improperly exploitation in order for a person to be convicted of rape. However, after 1st of July 2018, it is an offence to perform sexual acts with a person whose participation is not voluntarily. Coercion and improperly exploitation is therefore no longer... (More)
The Swedish legislation on sexual offences has been subject to major changes over the years. The provision of rape has in various ways been extended and the coercion requirement has been reduced over time. The purpose of the changes has partly been to strengthen and clarify the sexual integrity and self-determination – two concepts that have been recurring in the legislation on sexual offences in recent years. Despite this, the sexual act earlier had to be combined with coercion or improperly exploitation in order for a person to be convicted of rape. However, after 1st of July 2018, it is an offence to perform sexual acts with a person whose participation is not voluntarily. Coercion and improperly exploitation is therefore no longer decisive. The legislative amendment extended the provision of rape in several ways. In addition, the new offence negligent rape was introduced in Chap. 6, Sect. 1a of the Swedish Penal Code.

The question whether Sweden should amend the legislation on sexual offences to be based on the absence of consent has been discussed over the past 20 years. A sexual consent law has been considered to have the ability to strengthen the sexual integrity and self-determination. It was further considered to be able to give protection in situations where a person was subjected to sexual acts against his or her will, but where there was no coercion or improperly exploitation. However, the risk of an increased focus on the injured party was a main reason against a sexual consent law.

This essay aims to investigate whether the sexual consent law strengthens the sexual integrity and self-determination and what consequences the law might have from a victims perspective. The essay describes the discussion in both legislative history and doctrine regarding the sexual consent law and links these discussions to court practice.

With voluntary participation as the decisive factor the self-determination and the violation of the victim are emphasized. The sexual consent law increases the individuals right to decide and it sends a signal that a person is not available until he or she has expressed voluntariness. The sexual consent law thereby recognizes and clarifies the right to sexual integrity and self-determination. However, there are still some situations that fall outside the scope of the law. Court judgments shows that emphasis is still placed on the victim’s actions and it almost seems like there is a requirement for the victim to act in a certain way in connection with the sexual act. It is therefore questionable how much the sexual integrity and self-determination has been strengthened. At the same time, the sexual consent law sends an important message to society, which, in combination with information regarding the law, can strengthen the sexual integrity and self-determination.

The extension of the provision of rape and the introduction of the offence negligent rape provide more victims with the opportunity of redress. However, court judgments shows that there is still a big focus on the injured party, especially when the defendant makes a consent objection. Emphasis is also placed on some circumstances whose relevance can be discussed. The court responsibility to ensure that nothing unnecessarily is drawn into the case and to reject certain questions is therefore particular important. The sexual consent law has not entailed any changes regarding evidence. The previous problems with evidence in rape cases therefore remains but cannot be considered to have increased. The coercion requirement was low and the victim’s will was supposed to be taken into consideration also before the sexual consent law. However coercion and improperly exploitation were decisive factors. Several court judgments shows that the sexual consent law therefore is important in cases where the victim reacted to the sexual act with passivity which means that the perpetrator did not have to use any force. Those cases were not covered previously and the defendant would therefore probably not have been convicted with the previous legislation. (Less)
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author
Elmqvist, Linda LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
The sexual consent law - a gain for the victim?
course
JURM02 20182
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
Straffrätt, Samtyckeslagen, Våldtäkt, Oaktsam våldtäkt
language
Swedish
id
8965424
date added to LUP
2019-01-28 11:35:56
date last changed
2019-01-28 11:35:56
@misc{8965424,
  abstract     = {{The Swedish legislation on sexual offences has been subject to major changes over the years. The provision of rape has in various ways been extended and the coercion requirement has been reduced over time. The purpose of the changes has partly been to strengthen and clarify the sexual integrity and self-determination – two concepts that have been recurring in the legislation on sexual offences in recent years. Despite this, the sexual act earlier had to be combined with coercion or improperly exploitation in order for a person to be convicted of rape. However, after 1st of July 2018, it is an offence to perform sexual acts with a person whose participation is not voluntarily. Coercion and improperly exploitation is therefore no longer decisive. The legislative amendment extended the provision of rape in several ways. In addition, the new offence negligent rape was introduced in Chap. 6, Sect. 1a of the Swedish Penal Code. 

The question whether Sweden should amend the legislation on sexual offences to be based on the absence of consent has been discussed over the past 20 years. A sexual consent law has been considered to have the ability to strengthen the sexual integrity and self-determination. It was further considered to be able to give protection in situations where a person was subjected to sexual acts against his or her will, but where there was no coercion or improperly exploitation. However, the risk of an increased focus on the injured party was a main reason against a sexual consent law. 

This essay aims to investigate whether the sexual consent law strengthens the sexual integrity and self-determination and what consequences the law might have from a victims perspective. The essay describes the discussion in both legislative history and doctrine regarding the sexual consent law and links these discussions to court practice.

With voluntary participation as the decisive factor the self-determination and the violation of the victim are emphasized. The sexual consent law increases the individuals right to decide and it sends a signal that a person is not available until he or she has expressed voluntariness. The sexual consent law thereby recognizes and clarifies the right to sexual integrity and self-determination. However, there are still some situations that fall outside the scope of the law. Court judgments shows that emphasis is still placed on the victim’s actions and it almost seems like there is a requirement for the victim to act in a certain way in connection with the sexual act. It is therefore questionable how much the sexual integrity and self-determination has been strengthened. At the same time, the sexual consent law sends an important message to society, which, in combination with information regarding the law, can strengthen the sexual integrity and self-determination.

The extension of the provision of rape and the introduction of the offence negligent rape provide more victims with the opportunity of redress. However, court judgments shows that there is still a big focus on the injured party, especially when the defendant makes a consent objection. Emphasis is also placed on some circumstances whose relevance can be discussed. The court responsibility to ensure that nothing unnecessarily is drawn into the case and to reject certain questions is therefore particular important. The sexual consent law has not entailed any changes regarding evidence. The previous problems with evidence in rape cases therefore remains but cannot be considered to have increased. The coercion requirement was low and the victim’s will was supposed to be taken into consideration also before the sexual consent law. However coercion and improperly exploitation were decisive factors. Several court judgments shows that the sexual consent law therefore is important in cases where the victim reacted to the sexual act with passivity which means that the perpetrator did not have to use any force. Those cases were not covered previously and the defendant would therefore probably not have been convicted with the previous legislation.}},
  author       = {{Elmqvist, Linda}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Samtyckeslagen - en vinst för brottsoffret?}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}