2024-04-242023/24:JuU20 · p.3JuUJustice

Controlling behaviour

Criminalising controlling behaviour and psychological abuse

What's at stake: Criminalisation would provide a legal tool against psychological abuse and controlling behaviour in close relationships, a form of abuse that can otherwise be difficult to prosecute; the issue is of particular relevance to people subjected to abuse in close relationships.

Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.

What the vote decides

The question is whether controlling behaviour and psychological abuse should be criminalised through new legislation, or whether the ongoing preparatory work on the matter should be awaited.

Yes Yes — the committee proposal

The Committee rejects the motions. It maintains its previous view that the continued preparatory work on the proposal in the government memorandum on criminal liability for psychological abuse should not be pre-empted.

No No — the reservations

Reservation 4 (S, V, C, MP)

The reservation (S, V, C, MP) calls for psychological abuse and controlling behaviour to be criminalised. It notes that such a proposal was put forward in a government memorandum, that the consultation process has concluded, and argues that the government should now submit a bill to parliament as soon as possible.

Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.

VSMPCLKDMSD
YesNoAbstainAbsent

What do the votes mean here?

Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).

No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 4 by S, V, C, MP.

Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.

The decision would have gone the other way

Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: KDKristdemokraterna

Ja 154–151Nej 137–168

Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.

What each plan points to — and how the party voted

For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.

PlanVoteConfidenceEvidence
Vown reservationNoNo 0/21/0/3follows the planconfidence: highnot addressed
Sown reservationNoNo 0/92/0/14follows the planconfidence: highnot addressed
MPown reservationNoNo 0/16/0/2follows the planconfidence: highnot addressed
Cown reservationNoNo 1/21/0/2follows the planconfidence: highexplicit
LNoYes 13/0/0/3departs from the planconfidence: highnot addressed
KDNoYes 17/0/0/2departs from the planagainst own programmeconfidence: highexplicit
MNoYes 59/0/0/9departs from the planconfidence: highnot addressed
SDNoYes 63/0/0/9departs from the planconfidence: highnot addressed

Broke with the party line

CMartina Johansson (C, Södermanlands län)Yes — party line: No

MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.

Committee proposal

The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:1013 by Aylin Nouri (S), 2023/24:2484 by Ulrika Liljeberg et al. (C) point 39, 2023/24:2499 by Helena Vilhelmsson et al. (C) point 14, 2023/24:2640 by Ardalan Shekarabi et al. (S) point 68, 2023/24:2664 by Janine Alm Ericson et al. (MP) point 107 and 2023/24:2669 by Märta Stenevi et al. (MP) point 75.

Original (Swedish)

Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:1013 av Aylin Nouri (S), 2023/24:2484 av Ulrika Liljeberg m.fl. (C) yrkande 39, 2023/24:2499 av Helena Vilhelmsson m.fl. (C) yrkande 14, 2023/24:2640 av Ardalan Shekarabi m.fl. (S) yrkande 68, 2023/24:2664 av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP) yrkande 107 och 2023/24:2669 av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP) yrkande 75.

Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected approximately 140 proposals in motions on criminal law issues that came in during the general motion period 2023. The motions deal among other things with crimes against liberty and integrity, sexual crimes and strengthened protection for service animals. The Riksdag refers among other things to ongoing work in the area.

Counter-proposals

Plan vs actual vote

Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.

VVänsterpartietNoNofollows the plannot addressed

The plan wants to take action against violence and abuse of women, children and LGBTQI persons and uses legislation as a tool, including consent law, negligence requirements and the law on violence against women.

Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto

Reasoning and quotes

The plan wants to take action against violence and abuse of women, children and LGBTQI persons and uses legislation as a tool, including consent law, negligence requirements and the law on violence against women. Criminalizing psychological violence and controlling behavior is in the same line, because violence according to the plan is structural and not just physical. The plan does not mention controlling behavior specifically, so the support is derived.

Original (Swedish)

Planen vill ta krafttag mot våld och kränkningar mot kvinnor, barn och hbtqi-personer och använder lagstiftning som verktyg, bland annat samtyckeslag, oaktsamhetsrekvisit och lagen om kvinnofridskränkning. Att kriminalisera psykiskt våld och kontrollerande beteende ligger i samma linje, eftersom våldet enligt planen är strukturellt och inte bara fysiskt. Planen nämner inte kontrollerande beteende särskilt, varför stödet är härlett.

  • legislation against men's violencedecisive»Vänsterpartiet vill se en lag som innebär krav på samtycke för sex och ett oaktsamhetsrekvisit i våldtäktslagstiftningen.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party wants to see a law that requires consent for sex and a negligence requirement in rape legislation.”
  • action against violence and oppression»I ett tryggt samhälle tar vi krafttag mot våld, hedersförtryck och sexuella kränkningar mot kvinnor, barn och hbtqi-personer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“In a safe society, we take action against violence, honour-related oppression and sexual abuse of women, children and LGBTQI persons.”
  • defend women's violence legislation»Vi står bakom och försvarar lagen som förbjuder köp av sexuella tjänster och lagen om kvinnofridskränkning.« (party programme ↗)“We stand behind and defend the law that prohibits the purchase of sexual services and the law on violence against women.”
  • violence is structural»Mäns våld mot kvinnor är ett strukturellt samhällsproblem.« (party programme ↗)“Men's violence against women is a structural social problem.”
SSocialdemokraternaNoNofollows the plannot addressed

The election manifesto promises to continue the direction that has tightened sentences for violence and other abuse in close relationships and requires action against male violence against women.

Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme

Reasoning and quotes

The election manifesto promises to continue the direction that has tightened sentences for violence and other abuse in close relationships and requires action against male violence against women. Criminalising psychological abuse and controlling behaviour is precisely such an expansion of criminal liability for abuse in close relationships. The programme's feminist perspective on gender power structures reinforces the rationale.

Original (Swedish)

Valmanifestet lovar att fortsätta den riktning som skärpt straffen för våld och andra kränkningar i nära relationer och kräver krafttag mot mäns våld mot kvinnor. Att kriminalisera psykiskt våld och kontrollerande beteende är just en sådan utvidgning av straffansvaret för kränkningar i nära relationer. Programmets feministiska grundsyn om könsmaktsordningen förstärker skälet.

  • criminal liability for abuse in close relationshipsdecisive»Vi vill fort sätta den politiska riktning som skärpt straffen för våld och andra kränkningar i nära relationer, och som ökat resurserna till kvinno- och tjejjourernas viktiga arbete.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to continue the political direction that has tightened sentences for violence and other abuse in close relationships, and that has increased resources for women's and girls' centres' important work.”
  • action against male violence»Krafttag för att stoppa hedersrelaterat våld, sexualbrott och mäns våld mot kvinnor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Action to stop honour-related violence, sexual crimes and male violence against women.”
  • feminist perspective»Med denna grundsyn är socialdemokratin ett feministiskt parti.« (party programme ↗)“With this fundamental view, social democracy is a feminist party.”

flags: citat_migrerat

MPMiljöpartietNoNofollows the plannot addressed

The party programme requires support and protection for children and adults subjected to psychological and physical violence and that society's institutions have readiness and tools against patriarchal violence.

Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto

Reasoning and quotes

The party programme requires support and protection for children and adults subjected to psychological and physical violence and that society's institutions have readiness and tools against patriarchal violence. The election manifesto asserts that it is the perpetrator's freedom that shall be limited and wants to strengthen work against honor-based violence and oppression. Criminalizing psychological violence and controlling behavior follows from these commitments.

Original (Swedish)

Partiprogrammet kräver stöd och skydd för barn och vuxna som utsatts för psykiskt och fysiskt våld och att samhällets institutioner har beredskap och verktyg mot patriarkalt våld. Valmanifestet slår fast att det är förövarens frihet som ska begränsas och vill stärka arbetet mot hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck. Att kriminalisera psykiskt våld och kontrollerande beteende följer av dessa åtaganden.

  • protection against psychological violencedecisive»skydd för barn och vuxna som utsatts för psykiskt« (party programme ↗)“protection for children and adults subjected to psychological”
  • the perpetrator's freedom shall be limited»Ingen ska begränsas av hedersförtryck och våld, det är förövarens frihet som ska begränsas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“No one shall be limited by honor-based oppression and violence, it is the perpetrator's freedom that shall be limited.”
  • tools against patriarchal violence»beredskap och verktyg för att motverka patriarkalt« (party programme ↗)“readiness and tools to counter patriarchal”
  • work against honor-based oppression»stärka arbetet mot hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck så att likvärdig hjälp ges i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen work against honor-based violence and oppression so that equal assistance is provided throughout the country.”
CCenterpartietNoNofollows the planexplicit

The plan explicitly requires that controlling behaviour be criminalized, both as part of the work against men's violence against women and against honour-based oppression.

Plan documents: 2022 manifesto

Reasoning and quotes

The plan explicitly requires that controlling behaviour be criminalized, both as part of the work against men's violence against women and against honour-based oppression. The counter-proposal's requirement that psychological violence and controlling behaviour be made punishable and that a bill be presented as soon as possible is therefore the plan's own line. The starting point is that men who hit shall not get away with it.

Original (Swedish)

Planen kräver uttryckligen att kontrollerande beteende kriminaliseras, både som del av arbetet mot mäns våld mot kvinnor och mot hedersförtryck. Motförslagets krav på att psykiskt våld och kontrollerande beteende straffbeläggs och att ett lagförslag läggs fram snarast är därmed planens egen linje. Utgångspunkten är att män som slår inte ska komma undan.

  • criminalize controlling behaviourdecisive»Dessutom vill vi kriminalisera kontrollerande beteende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Moreover, we want to criminalize controlling behaviour.”
  • make honour-based oppression punishable»Ingen ska utsättas för hedersförtryck i Sverige. Utöver tidiga insatser i skolan vill vi bland annat kriminalisera oskuldskontroller och kontrollerande beteende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“No one shall be subjected to honour-based oppression in Sweden. In addition to early intervention in schools, we want to, among other things, criminalize virginity testing and controlling behaviour.”
  • men's violence must be addressed»Män som slår ska inte komma undan. Vi vill höja straffen för sexualbrott, grov fridskränkning och grov kvinnofridskränkning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Men who hit shall not get away with it. We want to raise penalties for sexual crimes, serious assault and serious violence against women.”
LLiberalernaNoYesdeparts from the plannot addressed

The election manifesto explicitly wants to broaden criminalization to expressions of honour-based thinking such as honour checks and corrective travel, that is, controlling behaviour, and states that male violence against women shall end.

Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme

Reasoning and quotes

The election manifesto explicitly wants to broaden criminalization to expressions of honour-based thinking such as honour checks and corrective travel, that is, controlling behaviour, and states that male violence against women shall end. The party programme wants all forms of violence in relationships to be prevented and for efforts to focus on perpetrators. Criminalizing psychological violence and controlling behaviour follows from these commitments.

Original (Swedish)

Valmanifestet vill uttryckligen bredda kriminaliseringen till uttryck för hederstänkande som oskuldskontroller och uppfostringsresor, alltså just kontrollerande beteende, och slår fast att mäns våld mot kvinnor ska upphöra. Partiprogrammet vill att alla former av våld i relationer förebyggs och att insatserna fokuserar på förövarna. Att kriminalisera psykiskt våld och kontrollerande beteende följer av dessa åtaganden.

  • broadened criminalization of controldecisive»Samtidigt ska stöden till offren byggas ut, kunskapen hos yrkesverksamma öka, straffen för hedersrelaterade brott skärpas och kriminaliseringen breddas till uttryck för hederstänkande såsom oskuldskontroller och uppfostringsresor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time, support for victims should be expanded, knowledge among professionals increased, penalties for honour-related crimes strengthened and criminalization broadened to include expressions of honour-based thinking such as honour checks and corrective travel.”
  • stop male violence against women»Mäns våld mot kvinnor ska upphöra.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Male violence against women shall end.”
  • all relationship violence shall be prevented»Alla former av våld i relationer och könsrelaterat« (party programme ↗)“All forms of violence in relationships and gender-related”
  • focus on perpetrators»Insatserna för att förebygga och förhindra våld i nära relationer måste fokusera på förövarna.« (party programme ↗)“Efforts to prevent and stop violence in close relationships must focus on perpetrators.”

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.

KDKristdemokraternaNoYesdeparts from the planexplicit

The party programme explicitly lists psychological violence from a close person among offences that are completely unacceptable and requires that legislation marks violence against women as a serious crime.

Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto

Reasoning and quotes

The party programme explicitly lists psychological violence from a close person among offences that are completely unacceptable and requires that legislation marks violence against women as a serious crime. The election manifesto furthermore drives strong criminal law increases. Criminalizing psychological violence and controlling behaviour is therefore directly compatible with the plan.

Original (Swedish)

Partiprogrammet räknar uttryckligen upp psykiskt våld från en närstående bland de övergrepp som är helt oacceptabla och kräver att lagstiftningen markerar att våld mot kvinnor är ett allvarligt brott. Valmanifestet driver dessutom kraftiga straffrättsliga skärpningar. Att kriminalisera psykiskt våld och kontrollerande beteende är därmed direkt förenligt med planen.

  • mark psychological violence in lawdecisive»våld från en närstående eller för annan form av övergrepp och våld« (party programme ↗)“violence from a close person or for any other form of abuse and violence”
  • increased criminal law against abuse»Skärp straffen för sexualbrott kraftigt. 25 års fängelse för grov våldtäkt, kemisk kastrering som villkor för villkorlig frigivning och livstids fängelse för grov våldtäkt mot barn.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sharply increase penalties for sexual offences. 25 years imprisonment for serious rape, chemical castration as a condition for conditional release and life imprisonment for serious rape against a child.”
  • effective handling of relationship violence»Effektiv handläggning av ärenden som rör våld i nära relationer förutsätter välutbildade medarbetare hos polis« (party programme ↗)“Effective handling of cases involving violence in close relationships presupposes well-trained staff at police”
  • general deterrence»Ett effektivt tillrättaförande av brottsförövare bör dessutom ha inslag av såväl allmänprevention som individualprevention.« (party programme ↗)“Effective correction of criminal offenders should also include both general deterrence and individual deterrence.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

MModeraternaNoYesdeparts from the plannot addressed

The plan promises a brand new crime, unlawful detention, aimed at women being deprived of freedom and isolated in the home, and has zero tolerance for men's violence against women.

Plan documents: 2022 manifesto

Reasoning and quotes

The plan promises a brand new crime, unlawful detention, aimed at women being deprived of freedom and isolated in the home, and has zero tolerance for men's violence against women. Criminalising psychological violence and controlling behaviour is the same thing in substance. The plan also sharpens tools against violence in close relationships through residence bans and easier detention. The plan thus supports the requirement.

Original (Swedish)

Planen lovar ett helt nytt brott, olaga frihetsbegränsning, med udden mot att kvinnor fråntas sin frihet och isoleras i hemmet, och har nolltolerans mot mäns våld mot kvinnor. Att kriminalisera psykiskt våld och kontrollerande beteende är samma sak i sak. Planen skärper dessutom verktygen mot våld i nära relation genom vistelseförbud och lättare häktning. Planen stöder därför kravet.

  • criminalise detention of freedomdecisive»Införa ett särskilt brott – olaga frihetsbegränsning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a special crime – unlawful detention”
  • control and isolation of women»Kvinnor fråntas sin frihet och isoleras i hemmet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Women are deprived of their freedom and isolated in the home.”
  • stop men's violence against women»Vi ska stoppa mäns våld mot kvinnor« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall stop men's violence against women”
  • sharpened tools against relationship violence»Införa vistelseförbud för personer som dömts för våld i nära relation, så att den som utsatt sin tidigare partner för våld och övergrepp kan förbjudas att vara i ett visst bostadsområde även efter att ha släppts ur fängelset« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce residence bans for people convicted of violence in close relationships, so that those who have subjected their former partner to violence and abuse can be forbidden from being in a certain residential area even after being released from prison”

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.

SDSverigedemokraternaNoYesdeparts from the plannot addressed

The plan describes the control of especially young women's socializing, dress and freedom of movement as serious oppression and requires a specific honour-related crime with notably harsher penalties, and even wants to be able to intervene against honour-related oppression without a specific crime having been committed.

Plan documents: 2022 manifesto

Reasoning and quotes

The plan describes the control of especially young women's socializing, dress and freedom of movement as serious oppression and requires a specific honour-related crime with notably harsher penalties, and even wants to be able to intervene against honour-related oppression without a specific crime having been committed. Criminalizing psychological violence and controlling behaviour is precisely such a criminal law marking. The plan furthermore requires an action plan for those subjected to violence in close relationships.

Original (Swedish)

Planen beskriver kontrollen av framför allt unga kvinnors umgänge, klädsel och rörelsefrihet som ett allvarligt förtryck och kräver ett särskilt hedersbrott med påtagligt strängare straff, och vill till och med kunna ingripa mot hedersförtryck utan att ett konkret brott begåtts. Att kriminalisera psykiskt våld och kontrollerande beteende är just en sådan straffrättslig markering. Planen kräver dessutom en handlingsplan för den som utsätts för våld i nära relation.

  • specific honour-related crimedecisive»Införa ett särskilt hedersbrott« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce a specific honour-related crime”
  • new criminal charge against oppression»Den som begår brott med hedersmotiv bör dömas enligt en särskild brottsrubricering till påtagligt strängare straff och utvisning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Anyone who commits a crime with honour-related motives should be sentenced under a specific criminal charge to notably harsher penalties and expulsion.”
  • controlling behaviour as oppression»En allt vanligare situation är att unga flickor övervakas av släktingar och landsmän i skolan och i sin vardag för att kontrollera att de följer klanens eller landets levnadsregler.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“An increasingly common situation is that young girls are monitored by relatives and countrymen at school and in their daily lives to control that they follow the clan's or country's rules of conduct.”
  • action plan for violence in close relationships»Upprätta en handlingsplan för den som utsätts för våld i nära relation« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Establish an action plan for those subjected to violence in close relationships”

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.

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Sources and documents

Documents under consideration

Source: The Swedish Parliament