A special crime victim law

The plan establishes that no one should have to be subjected to crime and that society should provide support and redress to those who have been victimized, and that legal certainty is upheld among other things through legal aid and transparency. A unified and clear victim of crime law is in line with this, because predictability is a prerequisite for crime victims to be able to exercise their rights. The committee's reasoning — that the compensation system has already been simplified — is not addressed by the plan.

• support and redress for crime victimsdecisive»Ingen människa ska behöva utsättas för brott.« (party programme ↗)“No person should have to be subjected to crime.”
• legal certainty and legal aid»Rättssäkerheten behöver upprätthållas genom rättshjälp, medborgerlig« (party programme ↗)“Legal certainty needs to be upheld through legal aid, civil”
• functioning justice system for crime victims»Det är viktigt att rättssystemet fungerar, att kvinnors erfarenheter tas på allvar och att de som begår brott döms.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is important that the justice system works, that women's experiences are taken seriously and that those who commit crimes are convicted.”

The plan requires strong support for those subjected to violence and guards the principles of the rule of law and everyone's equality before the law. A complex regulatory framework makes it difficult for crime victims to assert their rights, and an investigation of a unified victim rights law therefore aligns with the plan's principles. The plan does not, however, directly address the question.

• support for crime victimsdecisive»Kraftfullt bekämpande av mäns våld mot kvinnor, våld i nära relationer samt stöd till« (party programme ↗)“Strong action against male violence against women, violence in close relationships and support for”
• resources for victims of violence»som ökat resurserna till kvinno- och tjejjourernas viktiga arbete« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that increased resources for women's and girls' centres' important work”
• rule of law principles»Slå vakt om rättsstatens principer.« (party programme ↗)“Guard the principles of the rule of law.”
• predictable legal order»En rättsordning som bygger på allas likhet inför lagen.« (party programme ↗)“A legal order based on everyone's equality before the law.”

The plan's decisive commitment is that criminal justice policy shall have the crime victim at its center and that support to crime victims shall be built up and significantly strengthened. A difficult-to-navigate legal framework spread across multiple laws makes it difficult for crime victims to protect their rights, and the counter-proposal's demand that a unified crime victim law be investigated follows from the commitment to restitution and legal certainty. The plan does not mention a special crime victim law, however.

• the crime victim at the centerdecisive»Rättspolitiken ska också ha brottsoffret i centrum. Stödet till brottsoffer behöver byggas ut och stärkas kraftigt, så att ingen lämnas ensam efter att ha blivit utsatt för brott.« (party programme ↗)“Criminal justice policy shall also have the crime victim at its center. Support for crime victims needs to be built up and significantly strengthened, so that no one is left alone after being subjected to crime.”
• support and restitution»Alla brottsoffer ska mötas med respekt, få stöd och upprättelse – och varje brott som begås ska tas på allvar.« (party programme ↗)“All crime victims shall be met with respect, receive support and restitution – and every crime committed shall be taken seriously.”
• legal certainty in the entire system»Alla ska vara lika inför lagen och rättssäkerheten måste garanteras i hela rättssystemet.« (party programme ↗)“All shall be equal before the law and legal certainty must be guaranteed throughout the legal system.”
• careful legislative review»Vi vill säkerställa att all ny lagstiftning prövas noggrant utifrån rättssäkerhet och grundläggande fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“We want to ensure that all new legislation is carefully tested for legal certainty and fundamental freedoms and rights.”

The election manifesto states that the perspective of crime victims must be strengthened and that those who have suffered crime shall receive redress and better support, and that everyone living in Sweden shall be able to have their case reviewed. Confusing regulations scattered across multiple laws work against exactly this. To investigate a unified crime victims' law for increased predictability therefore aligns with the plan.

• strengthened victim perspectivedecisive»Brottsofferperspektivet måste stärkas. Den som utsatts för brott ska få upprättelse och bättre stöd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The perspective of crime victims must be strengthened. Those who have suffered crime shall receive redress and better support.”
• access to justice»Alla som bor i Sverige ska kunna få sin sak prövad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Everyone living in Sweden shall be able to have their case reviewed.”
• support for those affected by crime»Kriminalpolitiken ska därför både förebygga och avskräcka från brott, stödja brottsdrabbade och stimulera dem som har begått olagliga handlingar till en ny livssituation utan brottslighet.« (party programme ↗)“Criminal policy shall therefore both prevent and deter crime, support those affected by crime and encourage those who have committed unlawful acts towards a new life situation without criminality.”
• better support for crime victims»Det är också viktigt att brottsoffer får bättre stöd och att eftervåldet bekämpas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is also important that crime victims receive better support and that domestic violence is combated.”

The plan makes support for crime victims a primary mission for law enforcement and social services and requires that individuals' possibilities to assert their rights increase. An unclear regulatory framework scattered across several laws works against this. Therefore, investigating a unified crime victim law to increase predictability is in line with the plan's commitments to better protection and support for victims.

• crime victim support as primary missiondecisive»Insatser för att stödja brottsoffer är ett huvuduppdrag för både rättsväsende och socialtjänst.« (party programme ↗)“Support for crime victims is a primary mission for both law enforcement and social services.”
• easier compensation for crime victims»Brottsoffer ska snabbt få det skadestånd som utdömts i domstol utan att behöva kräva ut det av den dömde. Den allmänna rättshjälpen ska stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Crime victims should quickly receive compensation awarded by court without having to demand it from the convicted person. General legal aid should be strengthened.”
• better protection for crime victims»Vi vill se en ökad handlingskraft mot sexuellt våld och våld mot kvinnor genom bland annat högre straff för sexualbrott och ett bättre skydd och stöd för offren.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to see increased action against sexual violence and violence against women through, among other things, higher penalties for sexual crimes and better protection and support for victims.”
• individuals' rights must be assertable»Den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sina rättigheter gentemot myndigheterna måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“Individuals' possibilities to assert their rights against authorities must increase.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan establishes that society should stand on the side of crime victims and that victims of crime should receive redress, and requires swift and predictable responses anchored in clear legislation. An unwieldy framework scattered across multiple laws undermines that predictability, which entails the counter-proposal's requirement for an examination of a comprehensive victim-of-crime act. The plan also emphasizes that the offender should make economic restitution to the crime victim.

• society on crime victim's sidedecisive»Samhället ska ställa sig på brottsoffrets sida.« (party programme ↗)“Society shall stand on the side of the crime victim.”
• crime victims shall receive redress»Tryggheten på gator och torg måste återupprättas, brottsförebyggande arbetet måste stärkas, brottslingar dömas och brottsoffer få upprättelse.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Security on streets and squares must be restored, crime prevention work must be strengthened, criminals convicted and crime victims receive redress.”
• clear and predictable legislation»Allmänpreventionen, det vill säga att samhället gör klart att på brott följer straff, ska innefatta snabba och förutsägbara reaktioner som är förankrade i en human och tydlig lagstiftning.« (party programme ↗)“General deterrence, that is that society makes clear that punishment follows crime, shall include swift and predictable responses anchored in a humane and clear legislation.”
• economic restitution to crime victims»De ska också så långt som möjligt göra att förövaren gottgör brottsoffer ekonomiskt för det lidande eller den förlust som uppstått« (party programme ↗)“They should also as far as possible ensure that the offender makes economic restitution to the crime victim for the suffering or loss that has arisen”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan promises to greatly strengthen the position of crime victims and to facilitate payment of compensation to reduce suffering, and even wants to write a new criminal code with crime victim focus. A confusing set of regulations scattered across several laws counteracts precisely that. A unified crime victim law that increases predictability thus aligns with the plan.

• simpler compensation for crime victimsdecisive»Underlätta utbetalningen av ersättning till brottsoffer för att minska lidandet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Facilitate payment of compensation to crime victims to reduce suffering”
• strengthened position for crime victims»Moderaterna kommer kraftigt stärka brottsoffrets ställning i rättsprocessen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderate Party will greatly strengthen the position of crime victims in the judicial process.”
• new legislation with crime victim focus»Införa en ny brottsbalk för att skifta fokus från gärningsmannen till brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a new criminal code to shift focus from the perpetrator to crime victims”
• crime victim perspective in criminal policy»Brottsoffrens perspektiv är viktigt i kriminalpolitiken.« (party programme ↗)“Crime victims' perspective is important in criminal policy.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan requires that the position of crime victims be strengthened and that the right to compensation, support and assistance be improved, with a guaranteed right to damages. A consolidated crime victim law that makes the dispersed regulations clear and predictable serves precisely that purpose. The plan furthermore establishes that the interests of crime victims in all cases shall be placed before those of offenders, why it supports the counter-proposal's requirement.

• strengthened crime victim statusdecisive»Stärka brottsoffrets ställning och öka stödet till brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the position of crime victims and increase support for crime victims”
• strengthened right to compensation»Även rätten till ersättning, stöd och hjälp när brottet ändå skett måste stärkas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Also the right to compensation, support and assistance when the crime has nevertheless occurred must be strengthened.”
• guaranteed right to damages»Rätten till skadestånd måste garanteras, oron över att åratal senare bli återbetalningsskyldig, om brottsoffrets ens fått ut skadeståndet från första börja, kan inte accepteras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The right to damages must be guaranteed, the worry that years later one will become liable to repay, if the victim has even received damages to begin with, cannot be accepted.”
• the crime victim first»Brottsoffers och potentiella brottsoffers intressen måste i alla lägen sättas framför« (party programme ↗)“Crime victims' and potential crime victims' interests must in all cases be placed before”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.