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Psykiskt våld mot barn - En kritisk granskning av det straffrättsliga skyddets förenlighet med artikel 19 i barnkonventionen

Stakovska, Alexandra LU (2023) JURM02 20231
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Sverige har länge varit ett föregångsland i arbetet att bekämpa våld mot barn. Trots detta utsätts fortfarande många barn för våld och mörkertalet bedöms vara stort. Stiftelsen Allmänna Barnhusets senaste nationella kartläggning av våld mot barn visade att psykiskt våld och försummelse är de vanligaste formerna av våld som föräldrar använder mot sina barn. I oktober 2021 gav Regeringskansliet en särskild utredare i uppdrag att se över straffansvaret för psykiskt våld. Utredningen utmynnade i ett förslag om en helt ny brottsbestämmelse om psykisk misshandel i 3 kap. 5 a § Brottsbalken (BrB). Samtliga remissinstanser var övervägande positiva till utredarens förslag att förstärka det straffrättsliga skyddet mot psykiskt våld. Däremot... (More)
Sverige har länge varit ett föregångsland i arbetet att bekämpa våld mot barn. Trots detta utsätts fortfarande många barn för våld och mörkertalet bedöms vara stort. Stiftelsen Allmänna Barnhusets senaste nationella kartläggning av våld mot barn visade att psykiskt våld och försummelse är de vanligaste formerna av våld som föräldrar använder mot sina barn. I oktober 2021 gav Regeringskansliet en särskild utredare i uppdrag att se över straffansvaret för psykiskt våld. Utredningen utmynnade i ett förslag om en helt ny brottsbestämmelse om psykisk misshandel i 3 kap. 5 a § Brottsbalken (BrB). Samtliga remissinstanser var övervägande positiva till utredarens förslag att förstärka det straffrättsliga skyddet mot psykiskt våld. Däremot kritiserades utredarens uppfattning om att utesluta psykisk misshandel från att utgöra grundbrott för barnfridsbrottet i 4 kap. 3 § BrB. Vissa instanser kritiserade även bedömningen att undanta försummelse från straffansvar.

Uppsatsen syftar till att ur ett barnrättsperspektiv undersöka de rättsregler som reglerar psykiskt våld mot barn idag och det författningsförslag som presenteras i Straffansvar för psykiskt våld Ds 2022:18 om psykisk misshandel. För att uppnå syftet besvaras följande frågeställningar. 1. Genom vilken straff-rättslig lagstiftning regleras psykiskt våld mot barn i Sverige? 2. Är nuvarande straffrättsliga lagstiftning och praxis för psykiskt våld mot barn förenlig med innebörden av artikel 19 i barnkonventionen? 3. Är lagförslaget i Ds 2022:18 förenligt med innebörden av artikel 19 i barnkonventionen? Svaren på frågeställningarna söks genom den rättsanalytiska metoden.

I artikel 19 i barnkonventionen stadgas ett långtgående krav på att konventionsstaterna ska vidta alla lämpliga lagstiftningsåtgärder för att skydda barn mot alla former av våld, inklusive psykiskt våld och försummelse. Artikel 19 ger viss vägledning för vad som avses med lämpliga lagstiftningsåtgärder, men i övrigt lämnas denna fråga öppen för respektive stat att avgöra. I uppsatsen identifieras att barnrättskommitténs definitioner av psykiskt våld och försummelse överlappar varandra vilket skapar viss svårighet i undersökningen av det straffrättsliga skyddet för psykiskt våld.

För att besvara uppsatsens första och andra frågeställning undersöks tre brott; barnfridsbrottet, misshandelsbrottet och det grova fridskränkningsbrottet. Analysen visar att barnfridsbrottet ger goda möjligheter att lagföra en form en form av psykiskt våld, medan det grova fridskränkningsbrottet och i synnerhet misshandelsbrottet i praktiken ger begränsade möjligheter att lagföra psykiskt våld. Utredningen av uppsatsens tredje frågeställning visar att lagförslaget innebär en utökning av straffansvaret för psykiskt våld enligt den definition som avses i barnkonventionens artikel 19. Analysen visar dock att ett nytt ställningstagande bör göras, med en fördjupad barnkonsekvensanalys som grund, avseende frågan om den psykiska misshandelns del i barnfridsbrottet samt straffansvaret för försummelse. (Less)
Abstract
Sweden has long been a pioneering country in combating violence against children. Despite this, many children are still exposed to violence and the number of unreported cases is estimated to be high. Stiftelsen Allmänna Barn-huset's latest national survey of violence against children showed that psychological violence and neglect are the most common forms of violence that parents use against their children. In October 2021, the Government Offices commissioned a special investigator to review the criminal liability for psychological violence. The investigation resulted in a proposal for a new criminal provision on psychological abuse in Chapter 3, Section 5 a of the Swedish Criminal Code. All consultation bodies were predominantly positive... (More)
Sweden has long been a pioneering country in combating violence against children. Despite this, many children are still exposed to violence and the number of unreported cases is estimated to be high. Stiftelsen Allmänna Barn-huset's latest national survey of violence against children showed that psychological violence and neglect are the most common forms of violence that parents use against their children. In October 2021, the Government Offices commissioned a special investigator to review the criminal liability for psychological violence. The investigation resulted in a proposal for a new criminal provision on psychological abuse in Chapter 3, Section 5 a of the Swedish Criminal Code. All consultation bodies were predominantly positive to the investigator's proposal to strengthen the criminal law protection of psychological violence. However, many criticized the investigator's view that psychological abuse should be excluded from the crime of violation of a child’s integrity in Chapter 4, Section 3 of the Swedish Criminal Code. Some bodies also criticized the assessment of exempting negligence from criminal liability.
The essay aims to examine the legal rules that regulate psychological violence against children today and the constitutional proposal presented in Ds 2022:18 on psychological abuse from a child rights perspective. To achieve the pur-pose, the following research questions are answered. 1. What criminal law legislation regulates psychological violence against children in Sweden? 2. Is current criminal law legislation and practice for psychological violence against children in line with the meaning of Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child? 3. Is the legislative proposal in Ds 2022:18 compatible with the meaning of Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child? The answers to these questions are sought through the legal analysis method.
Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out a far-reaching requirement for State Parties to take all appropriate legislative measures to protect children from all forms of violence, including psychological abuse and neglect. Article 19 provides some guidance on what is meant by appropriate legislative measures, but otherwise leaves this issue open for each state to determine. To answer the first and second research questions, three crimes are examined: the crime of violation of a child’s integrity, the crime of assault and the crime of gross violation of integrity. The analysis shows that the offense of the violation of a child’s integrity provides good opportunities to prosecute a form of psychological violence, while the offense crime of gross violation of integrity and, in particular, the offense of assault in practice provides limited opportunities to prosecute psychological violence. The investigation of the third research question shows that the proposed legislation extends criminal liability for psychological violence according to the definition referred to in Article 19. However, the analysis shows that a new position should be taken, based on an in-depth child impact assessment, regarding the exclusion of psychological abuse from the crime of violation of a child’s integrity. This should also be done regarding the assessment of exempting negligence from criminal liability. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Stakovska, Alexandra LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Psychological violence against children - A critical analysis of the compatibility of criminal law protection with Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
course
JURM02 20231
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
Straffrätt, psykiskt våld, psykisk misshandel, barnkonventionen, barnrättsperspektiv, försummelse
language
Swedish
id
9116305
date added to LUP
2023-06-19 09:21:58
date last changed
2023-06-19 09:21:58
@misc{9116305,
  abstract     = {{Sweden has long been a pioneering country in combating violence against children. Despite this, many children are still exposed to violence and the number of unreported cases is estimated to be high. Stiftelsen Allmänna Barn-huset's latest national survey of violence against children showed that psychological violence and neglect are the most common forms of violence that parents use against their children. In October 2021, the Government Offices commissioned a special investigator to review the criminal liability for psychological violence. The investigation resulted in a proposal for a new criminal provision on psychological abuse in Chapter 3, Section 5 a of the Swedish Criminal Code. All consultation bodies were predominantly positive to the investigator's proposal to strengthen the criminal law protection of psychological violence. However, many criticized the investigator's view that psychological abuse should be excluded from the crime of violation of a child’s integrity in Chapter 4, Section 3 of the Swedish Criminal Code. Some bodies also criticized the assessment of exempting negligence from criminal liability. 
The essay aims to examine the legal rules that regulate psychological violence against children today and the constitutional proposal presented in Ds 2022:18 on psychological abuse from a child rights perspective. To achieve the pur-pose, the following research questions are answered. 1. What criminal law legislation regulates psychological violence against children in Sweden? 2. Is current criminal law legislation and practice for psychological violence against children in line with the meaning of Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child? 3. Is the legislative proposal in Ds 2022:18 compatible with the meaning of Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child? The answers to these questions are sought through the legal analysis method. 
Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out a far-reaching requirement for State Parties to take all appropriate legislative measures to protect children from all forms of violence, including psychological abuse and neglect. Article 19 provides some guidance on what is meant by appropriate legislative measures, but otherwise leaves this issue open for each state to determine. To answer the first and second research questions, three crimes are examined: the crime of violation of a child’s integrity, the crime of assault and the crime of gross violation of integrity. The analysis shows that the offense of the violation of a child’s integrity provides good opportunities to prosecute a form of psychological violence, while the offense crime of gross violation of integrity and, in particular, the offense of assault in practice provides limited opportunities to prosecute psychological violence. The investigation of the third research question shows that the proposed legislation extends criminal liability for psychological violence according to the definition referred to in Article 19. However, the analysis shows that a new position should be taken, based on an in-depth child impact assessment, regarding the exclusion of psychological abuse from the crime of violation of a child’s integrity. This should also be done regarding the assessment of exempting negligence from criminal liability.}},
  author       = {{Stakovska, Alexandra}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Psykiskt våld mot barn - En kritisk granskning av det straffrättsliga skyddets förenlighet med artikel 19 i barnkonventionen}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}