Introducing the special issue on sexual violence in a Nordic context

The Nordic countries are characterized by a high level of gender equality, as well as a high and increasing level of reported sexual violence. In part, this paradox has been explained by the existence of strong, feminist victim- and women’s movements, which have turned our focus to sexual crimes and paved the way for the Nordic #metoo. Less tolerance for sexual violence, coupled with an increasing acknowledgement of these crimes, work to increase the number of reported sexual crimes. Furthermore, the Nordic countries have a broad judicial definition of rape that includes actions that are not labelled as sexual crimes in many other countries, thus leading to a higher number of reported crimes.

These particular conditions for sexual violence in the Nordic context have led to a broad academic interest in the subject. However, our perceptions of sexual crimes are constantly changing, legislation is expanding and differs between countries, and (non-)reporting is fluctuating. This poses methodological and theoretical challenges for studying sexual violence. Originally, sexual violence was to be the theme of the Nordic Research Council for Criminology’s (NSfK) annual research seminar in 2020, which would be followed by this special issue. But, as we all know, 2020 did not turn out as expected. However, some researchers were still able to write their articles on sexual violence, and a selection of them are included in this issue. This special issue thus explores and expands our understanding of sexual violence from a Nordic perspective through several articles:

1) The issue begins with an article (written by Wallin et al.) that analyses the new Swedish rape legislation. The authors show how legal decisions regarding ‘negligent rape’ are influenced by rape myths drawing on stereotypes about gender and sexuality. 2) The second article (by Carroll) is based on interviews with justice professionals, and professionals working with rape victims. These professionals describe the criminal justice system as a lottery for rape victim-survivors, since some survivors are met professionally and with respect while others are dismissed or met with hostility. 3) The third article (by Hansen et al.) explores why women refrain from reporting rape to the police. We know that very few rape cases reach the criminal justice system, and through interviews this article shows how Norwegian interviewees justify, negotiate, and reconcile their choices of non-reporting. 4) The fourth article (by Fredriksson) presents an analysis of rape-revenge fiction, and in particular the story of Lisbeth Salander. While rape-revenge narratives challenge traditional victim stereotypes, they also include patriarchal elements, making them ideologically complex. 5) The fifth article (by Tanskanen & Kivivuori) turns our attention towards intimate partner violence, and uses five sweeps of the Finnish National Crime Victim Survey to analyse victimization among victims of intimate partner violence. The results indicate that these victims are significantly more likely to be victims of other violent crimes as well. 6) The sixth article (by Gallo & Svensson) analyses the policy work of Sweden’s largest victim support organization regarding violence against women. It describes how the support organization’s work, in the late 20^th and early 21^st centuries, has influenced and been influenced by societal discourses around class, gender, and violence against women. 7) In the final article, the authors (Ceccato et al.) assess young people’s safety perceptions in the context of public transportation. The article’s results indicate that young riders’ experiences of safety are affected by previous victimization of sexual crimes.

All in all, these articles expand our knowledge about sexual violence in a Nordic context. Through their various perspectives, they can help us recognize, understand, and prevent sexual crimes.