“I will make your friend, his illegitimate and you and your whole family a sacrifice to me.”
It is one of the threats that a 45-year-old man is suspected of having written to his ex-wife.
Now he is charged with, among other things, oppression of honor, a crime that will thus be tried for the first time in a Swedish court.
Just over a year ago, the crime of honor oppression was introduced into the criminal code, and this summer the first person will be prosecuted for the crime.
It concerns a 45-year-old man who is suspected of several threats against his ex-wife, both verbally and in text messages.
– There are several events over time. One of the motives for having committed these acts against the plaintiff has been to defend his honor, says prosecutor Christina Hildebrand.
In order for a person to be sentenced for the crime of defamation, one must have violated another person’s integrity several times, and it must have been because one seriously wanted to harm a person’s self-esteem.
In the preliminary investigation, several messages sent from the man’s phone are reported, several with threats of serious sexual violence.
There, the woman is called, among other things, “whore” and “slut”, and in one message it says that “I will make you all become my victims”.
There are also recordings of him threatening the woman.
– In this particular case, the evidence is good because I have both voicemails and text messages that have been sent from the suspect to the plaintiff.
The key issue in the prosecution
The actions must have been committed over a period of one month, which Christina Hildebrand describes as the crucial issue of the case.
– The construction of the crime as such is that one must have seriously damaged the self-esteem of the crime victim, and been apt to seriously violate its integrity. And then you can, quite generally, say that the longer time has passed, the more difficult the violation is, of course, and the more damaged the self-esteem.
In addition to this, the man is charged with gross breach of peace, breach of child peace, assault and molestation of two minor relatives. They are represented by Emma Jahncke, who does not want to comment on the specific case.
– But in general you can say that it is of course always a tragedy when children are exposed to violence. However it turns out, it is always difficult for children who find themselves in a situation like this, she says.
Denies crime
The man denies wrongdoing. He claims that he did not write the messages that are in the preliminary investigation, says his lawyer Alexander Berglund.
As for the recorded conversation, he claims that it does not constitute defamation.
– Even if a person had expressed himself as the prosecutor claims, we claim in the defense that it shows no motive to preserve or restore his honor, there is no honorable motive, he says.
Berglund points out that it is the plaintiff who has raised the fact that the man’s honor has been violated, unlike the man himself.
– He believes that under no circumstances has what he expressed had a motive to try to preserve or restore his honor.
Difficulties with the proof
Honor crime has some things that can be difficult to get around. There is generally a risk that plaintiffs and witnesses keep things within the family.
– It is a built-in part of the structure that the family is more important than the individual. And then the step to talking to the authorities can be extra long, says Christina Hildebrand.
She considers it normal that it took a year between the law being instituted and the first person being prosecuted. Now there are also several extra instances, which makes the prosecutors’ work easier.
– The prosecutor’s office now has a specialist and a number of honor prosecutors who specialize in crimes of honor. It is clear that the difficulties that existed before are now helped with good knowledge, as you know what to look for.
FACTS Here you can get support and help
Are you or someone close to you exposed to violence in a close relationship? Here is a selection of places you can turn to for help and support.
Important: Always call 112 in case of emergency. You can also reach the social service or the social emergency service in your municipality via the emergency number.
A national helpline for those who have been exposed to physical, psychological and sexual violence. Relatives and friends are also welcome to call.
Offers temporary sheltered accommodation for people who have been victims of intimate partner violence and honour-related violence. Accepts women, men, their children and accompanying animals with placement via social services.
The national organization for women’s shelters and girls’ shelters in Sweden collects shelters throughout Sweden, some of which offer sheltered accommodation. Find an on-call nearest you via Rok’s website. Click on “find an on call”.
Collects over 130 women’s shelters, girls’ shelters and other support activities. On the website there are contact details for emergency services throughout Sweden, some of which offer sheltered accommodation. Click on “find on duty”.
Network for women’s rights against men’s violence. Emergency phone: 020-52 10 10. Advice in 70 different languages, including legal advice.
Provides support to criminal suspects, witnesses and relatives.
A women’s shelter for abused women with experiences of abuse and prostitution.
Support for LGBTQI people who have been exposed to abuse, threats and violence. RFSL support reception also runs a sheltered accommodation in the Stockholm area.
If you want to talk to someone who works at social services, you can call the switchboard in your municipality and ask to be connected to social services.
All children can get help via Bris, Children’s rights in society.
Can help with emergency call and crisis support: Call 112 and ask to be connected to the priest on duty.
A support platform for young people (15-20-year-olds) who are exposed to violence in their partner relationships, offers chat every evening at 20-22.
The men’s center in Stockholm and the county administrations in Malmö and Stockholm have opened the “Choose to stop” telephone line aimed at perpetrators of violence.
(TT, Aftonbladet)
Read moreFACTS Honor-related crime
In some families and clans, it is important that there is no bad reputation about the family. There may be rules, like you can’t hang out with whoever you want or have sex until you’re married.
It’s called honor. Sometimes it is called by other words such as sharaf or namus. If it causes you to be treated badly, it is called honor-related violence and oppression.
Examples of honor violence can be one or more of the following:
On June 1, 2022, a new crime called Honor oppression was introduced into the criminal code.
To be convicted of the crime, one must have committed several acts that constituted a repeated violation of the plaintiff’s integrity. The acts must have been intended to seriously damage the plaintiff’s self-esteem.
In addition, it is required that the motive for the acts must have been to preserve or restore the honor of a person, family, kindred or other group.
The penalty for the person who is convicted of honor suppression is imprisonment for a minimum of one year and a maximum of six years.
Source: The Prosecutor’s Office
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