About SCLO

The Swedish Consent Law Observatory (SCLO) is an independent, non-profit public archive dedicated to documenting the legal, social, and procedural outcomes of Sweden’s 2018 consent legislation. SCLO was created to centralize information that is currently dispersed across media outlets, academic publications, public reports, and courtroom narratives, making it accessible to a wider international audience.

Our purpose is to offer a transparent, evidence-based reference hub, where researchers, journalists, policymakers, legal professionals, and the general public can explore how Sweden’s consent reform has been discussed, implemented, debated, and interpreted in real-world contexts.

Why SCLO exists

Since 2018, Sweden’s consent-based sexual offense law has attracted significant national and international attention. However, public information about its consequences – both intended and unintended – tends to be fragmented. Criticism, support, legal analysis, and lived experiences often remain confined to academic circles, closed social media groups, or isolated news reports.

SCLO provides an organized, searchable, and openly accessible archive that brings these materials together in one place, facilitating broader understanding and informed dialogue.

What SCLO does

SCLO compiles and categorizes:

  • Media coverage, including news reports, documentaries, podcasts, and opinion articles;
  • Academic studies and peer-reviewed research;
  • Government and institutional reports;
  • Publicly documented legal cases and precedent-setting judgments;
  • Commentary and perspectives from legal experts, scholars, and public voices.

All summaries and categorizations are created with a commitment to neutrality, clarity, and factual accuracy. SCLO does not generate legal advice, take political positions, or advocate for specific legal outcomes. Our role is documentation, organization, and accessibility.

Who SCLO is for

SCLO serves a global audience, including:

  • Researchers and academics studying consent laws, criminal justice, or Scandinavian legal systems;
  • Journalists reporting on Swedish policy, criminal law, human rights, and social trends;
  • Policymakers and legal professionals evaluating comparative legislation;
  • Members of the public seeking reliable, transparent information on the reform.

Independence & Transparency

SCLO operates independently and is not affiliated with political parties, governmental bodies, advocacy organizations, or activist groups.
All materials included in the archive are publicly available sources, properly referenced according to their origin.

We believe that open access to information strengthens public understanding, improves quality of debate, and supports informed discussions about the realities of consent legislation.

Our long-term vision

SCLO aims to become a trusted international resource on Sweden’s consent law, serving as a neutral observatory that documents developments, consolidates public information, and preserves the historical record of how the reform has unfolded.

As new research, reports, cases, and discussions emerge, SCLO will continue to expand, refine, and update its archive.