Acquit or convict – read all parts of the investigation
Landing page for an investigative series examining how courts assess evidence and credibility in sexual-offence cases under the consent law.
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Has the Consent Act made Sweden less legally secure?
Long-form analytical article examining whether Sweden’s consent law has weakened legal certainty, presenting arguments from critics and legal scholars.
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Mannaminne’s fight for the innocently convicted continues
Opinion article describing the continued advocacy work of the Mannaminne association on behalf of people they believe are wrongfully convicted, with a focus on sexual-offence cases.
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Are the sentences for sex crimes really fair?
Debate article in which a legal professional questions whether Swedish courts ensure sufficient legal safeguards in sexual-offence cases, focusing on evidentiary standards and consistency in judicial reasoning.
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More people are being convicted of rape under the Consent Act – but enforcement is difficult
News article reporting that conviction rates for rape have increased since the consent law was introduced, while legal practitioners highlight challenges in applying the law consistently.
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More and more people are being convicted based on oral evidence alone after the Consent Act
News article reporting that an increasing number of convictions are based primarily on oral testimony following the introduction of the consent law, highlighting debate among legal experts.
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Lawyer believes new rape law increases risk of false reports
News article reporting on a lawyer’s criticism of the consent law, arguing that it may increase the risk of false accusations due to lowered evidentiary thresholds.
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Easier to Be Convicted of Rape Than Unlawful Threat
This is a column by political commentator Oisín Cantwell discussing findings from a Swedish legal analysis comparing conviction rates for rape versus unlawful threats. The author highlights that in a sample of court cases where evidence consisted mainly of the complainant’s account and related context, about 90 % of rape cases led to conviction, whereas only 18 % of unlawful threat cases did. The article explores possible reasons for this discrepancy, including differences in how courts value evidence and the influence of public debate on judges, and raises questions about consistency in Sweden’s justice system.
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Criticism: The consent law can punish the innocent
Debate video where panelists discuss how to balance victim protection with legal certainty and fair trial rights, especially under the consent law.