2024-11-202024/25:JuU4 · p.1JuUJustice
Contact bans
Restraining orders – protection for threatened and exposed persons
What's at stake: Restraining orders protect people subjected to threats, violence or harassment, often women in close relationships. How broadly and how quickly the protection is strengthened affects both the safety of exposed persons and the legal safeguards for the person the order is directed against.
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 parliament should now call on the government to swiftly return with tougher restraining-order rules, including the possibility of a ban covering an entire municipality, or whether it should instead await the ongoing review of more effective restraining-order legislation.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee welcomes the Swedish National Audit Office's review and shares the assessment that the state's protection of threatened persons needs to be strengthened. The committee notes that a government inquiry has already carried out a thorough review of restraining-order legislation and proposed expanded grounds for such orders, including the risk of improper surveillance. The committee therefore rejects the motions, since the matter is already being addressed.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S, V, MP)
S, V and MP hold that current rules are insufficient, since protection for the person subjected to violence must weigh more heavily than the perpetrator's freedom. A specially extended restraining order should be able to cover an entire municipality or larger areas than today, and the government should return without delay with proposals that strengthen restraining orders.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by S, V, 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: LLiberalerna, MModeraterna, SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 148–124Nej 16–256
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.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/19/0/5 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/92/0/14 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/12/1/5 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Abstain 0/0/19/5 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: high | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | No | Yes 61/0/0/11 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
Broke with the party line
| MPDaniel Helldén (MP, Stockholms kommun) | Abstain — 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 2024/25:126 by Helena Vilhelmsson et al. (C) claims 1-4, 2024/25:2618 by Rasmus Ling et al. (MP) claim 9, 2024/25:3111 by Teresa Carvalho et al. (S) claim 73 and 2024/25:3157 by Helena Vilhelmsson et al. (C) claims 16 and 17.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:126 av Helena Vilhelmsson m.fl. (C) yrkandena 1-4, 2024/25:2618 av Rasmus Ling m.fl. (MP) yrkande 9, 2024/25:3111 av Teresa Carvalho m.fl. (S) yrkande 73 och 2024/25:3157 av Helena Vilhelmsson m.fl. (C) yrkandena 16 och 17.
Riksdag decision: In a memorandum, the government reports its assessment of the observations and recommendations that the National Audit Office has made in the report State Protection of Threatened Persons – Deficiencies in Scope and Effectiveness. The report shows that the state is not working sufficiently effectively to protect threatened persons. The Riksdag views positively the measures that the government, the Police Authority, and the Prosecution Authority have implemented and will implement. This includes, among other things, initiatives for legislative changes concerning contact bans and the Tax Agency's forwarding of mail to persons with protected personal information, as well as several government assignments. The Riksdag filed the government's memorandum on state protection of threatened persons with the records, that is, closed the matter. The Riksdag also rejected proposals in motions, of which four are from the general motion period 2024, with reference to ongoing work.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to expand the possibility of deciding on contact prohibitions for larger geographic areas than today. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 1
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.
The plan's decisive commitment is that work against men's violence against women should be prioritized in a way that corresponds to the breadth and severity of the crimes, and that those who need to leave violence should have the right to safe solutions.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's decisive commitment is that work against men's violence against women should be prioritized in a way that corresponds to the breadth and severity of the crimes, and that those who need to leave violence should have the right to safe solutions. A particularly expanded restraining order that can cover an entire municipality follows from prioritizing the safety of the victim over the perpetrator's freedom of movement. The plan also demands that the legal system functions and that women's experiences are taken seriously.
Original (Swedish)
Planens avgörande åtagande är att arbetet mot mäns våld mot kvinnor ska prioriteras på ett sätt som motsvarar brottens omfattning och allvar, och att den som behöver lämna våldsutsatthet ska ha rätt till trygga lösningar. Ett särskilt utvidgat kontaktförbud som kan omfatta en hel kommun följer av att skyddet för den utsatta sätts före förövarens rörelsefrihet. Planen kräver också att rättssystemet fungerar och att kvinnors erfarenheter tas på allvar.
- prioritize work against men's violencedecisive»våld mot kvinnor behöver börja prioriteras på ett sätt som motsvarar« (party programme ↗)“violence against women needs to begin to be prioritized in a way that corresponds to”
- right to safety for victims of violence»Vänsterpartiet anser att det därutöver måste vara en rättighet att få hjälp med en långsiktig trygg boendelösning för den som behöver det för att lämna våldsutsatthet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party believes that there must furthermore be a right to help with a long-term secure housing solution for those who need it to leave violence.”
- functioning legal system»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 legal system functions, that women's experiences are taken seriously and that those who commit crimes are sentenced.”
- protection against crime»Ingen människa ska behöva utsättas för brott.« (party programme ↗)“No person should be subjected to crime.”
The election manifesto promises measures to stop men's violence against women and to continue in the direction that has tightened protection against violence and abuse in close relationships.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto promises measures to stop men's violence against women and to continue in the direction that has tightened protection against violence and abuse in close relationships. Extended contact bans that can cover a whole municipality, and a call to quickly put forward proposals, follow directly from this commitment. The plan says nothing about ongoing processing being sufficient.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet lovar krafttag mot mäns våld mot kvinnor och att fortsätta den riktning som skärpt skyddet vid våld och kränkningar i nära relationer. Ett utvidgat kontaktförbud som kan omfatta en hel kommun, och en uppmaning om att snabbt lägga fram förslag, följer direkt av det åtagandet. Planen säger inget om att en pågående beredning skulle räcka.
- stop men's violence against womendecisive»Krafttag för att stoppa hedersrelaterat våld, sexualbrott och mäns våld mot kvinnor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Measures to stop honour-based violence, sexual offences and men's violence against women.”
- tightened protection in close relationships»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 penalties for violence and other abuse in close relationships, and that has increased resources to women's and girls' important shelter work.”
- safety in one's own home»Till välfärdspolitiken hör också tryggheten på gator och torg och i det egna hemmet.« (party programme ↗)“Welfare policy also includes safety on streets and squares and in one's own home.”
- protect individual freedom»Det är samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda friheten och den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“It is society's absolute duty to protect freedom and personal integrity”
flags: citat_migrerat
The plan commits to providing stronger protection for abused women forced into hiding and that more perpetrators of violence shall receive electronic tagging, with the explicit starting point that it is the perpetrator's freedom that shall be limited.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to providing stronger protection for abused women forced into hiding and that more perpetrators of violence shall receive electronic tagging, with the explicit starting point that it is the perpetrator's freedom that shall be limited. An expanded contact ban that can cover an entire municipality is precisely such a strengthening. The committee's reason that the question is already being prepared does not affect the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att våldsutsatta kvinnor som tvingas gömma sig ska få starkare skydd och att fler våldsutövare ska få fotboja, med den uttryckliga utgångspunkten att det är förövarens frihet som ska begränsas. Ett utvidgat kontaktförbud som kan omfatta en hel kommun är precis en sådan förstärkning. Utskottets skäl att frågan redan bereds berör planen inte.
- stronger protection for abuse victimsdecisive»att våldsutsatta kvinnor som tvingas gömma sig ska få starkare skydd och att fler som utövar våld ska få fotboja.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that abused women forced into hiding shall receive stronger protection and that more perpetrators of violence shall receive electronic tagging.”
- limit the perpetrator's freedom»Ingen ska begränsas av hedersförtryck och våld, det är förövarens frihet som ska begränsas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“No one shall be limited by honour oppression and violence, it is the perpetrator's freedom that shall be limited.”
- coordinated protection after separation»skapa en dörr ut för våldsutsatta i hela landet, så att ansvaret för skydd, boende och vård samordnas direkt efter uppbrottet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“create a way out for abuse victims throughout the country, so that responsibility for protection, housing and care is coordinated immediately after the break-up.”
The plan explicitly commits to strengthening the victim perspective, ending post-violence and using electronic monitoring in more cases with contact bans.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly commits to strengthening the victim perspective, ending post-violence and using electronic monitoring in more cases with contact bans. The counter-proposal's demand for an expanded contact ban that can cover an entire municipality and swift proposals that strengthen contact bans is the same thing in substance: protection for the violence-affected must carry more weight. The plan's line that men who hit must not escape points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig uttryckligen att stärka brottsofferperspektivet, låta eftervåldet upphöra och använda elektronisk fotboja i fler fall vid kontaktförbud. Motförslagets krav på ett utvidgat kontaktförbud som kan omfatta en hel kommun och på skyndsamma förslag som stärker kontaktförbuden är samma sak i sak: skyddet för den våldsutsatta ska väga tyngre. Planens linje att män som slår inte ska komma undan pekar i samma riktning.
- stronger contact bansdecisive»Brottsofferperspektivet måste stärkas och eftervåldet upphöra. Vi vill att elektronisk fotboja används i fler fall vid kontaktförbud och säkra det långsiktiga stödet till kvinnojourer, tjejjourer och skyddade boenden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The victim perspective must be strengthened and post-violence ended. We want electronic monitoring to be used in more cases with contact bans and secure long-term support for women's refuges, girls' refuges and protected housing.”
- stop men's violence against women»Män som slår ska inte komma undan. Vi vill höja straffen för sexualbrott, grov fridskränkning och grov kvinnofridskränkning. Dessutom vill vi kriminalisera kontrollerande beteende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Men who hit must not escape. We want to raise sentences for sexual offences, serious assault and serious offences against women's integrity. We also want to criminalize controlling behaviour.”
- protection for threatened people»Det är också viktigt att brottsoffer får bättre stöd och att eftervåldet bekämpas. Vi vill bland annat att elektronisk fotboja används oftare och stärka skyddet för familjer med skyddad identitet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is also important that crime victims get better support and post-violence is combated. We want, among other things, electronic monitoring to be used more often and strengthen protection for families with protected identity.”
- women's security»Vi ska leda Sverige mot ett slut på mäns våld mot kvinnor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall lead Sweden towards an end to men's violence against women.”
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.
The party programme explicitly says that perpetrators in close relationships can be imposed comprehensive restrictions in geographical freedom of movement, and the election manifesto wants both to increase capacity to act against violence against women and test residence bans.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme explicitly says that perpetrators in close relationships can be imposed comprehensive restrictions in geographical freedom of movement, and the election manifesto wants both to increase capacity to act against violence against women and test residence bans. An expanded contact ban that can cover an entire municipality is precisely such a geographic restriction to protect the violence-exposed person. The plan gives protection of the victim priority over the perpetrator's freedom of movement.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet säger uttryckligen att förövare i nära relationer ska kunna åläggas omfattande begränsningar i den geografiska rörelsefriheten, och valmanifestet vill både öka handlingskraften mot våld mot kvinnor och pröva vistelseförbud. Ett utvidgat kontaktförbud som kan omfatta en hel kommun är precis en sådan geografisk begränsning till skydd för den våldsutsatta. Skyddet av offret ges i planen företräde framför förövarens rörelsefrihet.
- geographic restrictions for perpetratorsdecisive»Förövarna ska genomgå behandling samt kunna åläggas omfattande begränsningar i den« (party programme ↗)“Perpetrators shall undergo treatment and can be imposed comprehensive restrictions in”
- better protection for 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 capacity to act against sexual violence and violence against women through inter alia higher penalties for sexual crimes and better protection and support for victims.”
- residence bans as a tool»pröva möjligheten att införa vistelseförbud för dömda kriminella i utsatta områden« (2022 manifesto ↗)“test the possibility of introducing residence bans for convicted criminals in vulnerable areas”
- victim support as a main task»Insatser för att stödja brottsoffer är ett huvuduppdrag för både rättsväsende och socialtjänst.« (party programme ↗)“Measures to support crime victims are a main task for both the courts and social services.”
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.
The party programme requires that women, men and children who have suffered violence in a close relationship be given adequate support and protection, and that legislation mark violence against women as a serious crime.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that women, men and children who have suffered violence in a close relationship be given adequate support and protection, and that legislation mark violence against women as a serious crime. The election manifesto wants to sharply increase penalties for sexual crimes and give crime victims reparation. A specially expanded restraining order that can cover an entire municipality, and expedited proposals for it, thus follow from the plan's commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att kvinnor, män och barn som utsatts för våld i en nära relation ges adekvat stöd och skydd, och att lagstiftningen markerar att våld mot kvinnor är ett allvarligt brott. Valmanifestet vill skärpa straffen för sexualbrott kraftigt och ge brottsoffer upprättelse. Ett särskilt utvidgat kontaktförbud som kan omfatta en hel kommun, och skyndsamma förslag om det, följer därför av planens åtaganden.
- protection for victims of violencedecisive»nära relation ska ges adekvat stöd och skydd.« (party programme ↗)“close relationship shall be given adequate support and protection.”
- legislation against violence against women»våld från en närstående eller för annan form av övergrepp och våld. I lagstiftningen måste markeras att våld« (party programme ↗)“violence from a close person or other form of abuse and violence. In legislation it must be marked that violence”
- increased penalties for sexual crimes»Skärp straffen för sexualbrott kraftigt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sharply increase penalties for sexual crimes.”
- crime victim reparation»brottslingar dömas och brottsoffer få upprättelse.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“criminals are convicted and crime victims receive reparation.”
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 explicitly requires residence restrictions that can prohibit someone convicted of violence in an intimate relationship from being present in a certain residential area, and contact restrictions with an ankle bracelet immediately upon identified risk, on the grounds that protection would otherwise come too late.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires residence restrictions that can prohibit someone convicted of violence in an intimate relationship from being present in a certain residential area, and contact restrictions with an ankle bracelet immediately upon identified risk, on the grounds that protection would otherwise come too late. The counter-proposal's demand for an expanded contact restriction that can encompass larger geographic areas and for proposals to be submitted quickly is the same thing in essence. Therefore, the plan supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen vistelseförbud som kan förbjuda den som dömts för våld i nära relation att vistas i ett visst bostadsområde, och kontaktförbud med fotboja direkt vid konstaterad risk, med motiveringen att skyddet annars kommer för sent. Motförslagets krav på ett utvidgat kontaktförbud som kan omfatta större geografiska områden och på att förslag läggs fram snabbt är samma sak i sak. Därför stöder planen kravet.
- residence restriction in an areadecisive»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 restrictions for persons convicted of violence in an intimate relationship, so that the person who subjected their former partner to violence and abuse can be prohibited from being in a certain residential area even after release from prison”
- contact restriction immediately»Införa kontaktförbud och fotboja direkt för en man som utsätter en kvinna för våld, om en riskbedömning visar att det finns behov« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce contact restrictions and ankle bracelet immediately for a man who subjects a woman to violence, if a risk assessment shows that there is a need”
- protection cannot come too late»Fler män som utsätter kvinnor för våld borde tvingas bära fotboja. Idag kan fotboja enbart bli aktuellt om mannen har brutit mot sitt kontaktförbud. Då är det för sent.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More men who subject women to violence should be forced to wear an ankle bracelet. Today, an ankle bracelet can only become relevant if the man has breached his contact restriction. Then it is too late.”
- stronger crime victim protection»Stärka skyddet för vittnen och brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen protection for witnesses and crime victims”
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.
The plan explicitly demands improved possibilities for contact bans and that perpetrators can be subject to bans from returning to the place where the crime was committed or to the victim's vicinity.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly demands improved possibilities for contact bans and that perpetrators can be subject to bans from returning to the place where the crime was committed or to the victim's vicinity. A specially expanded contact ban that can cover an entire municipality is precisely such a geographical expansion. The plan furthermore states that policy shall be formulated based on the victim's best interest, not the perpetrator's.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen förbättrade möjligheter till kontaktförbud och att gärningsmän kan beläggas med förbud att återvända till den ort där brottet begåtts eller till brottsoffrets närhet. Ett särskilt utvidgat kontaktförbud som kan omfatta en hel kommun är precis en sådan geografisk utvidgning. Planen slår dessutom fast att politiken ska utformas utifrån brottsoffrets bästa, inte gärningsmannens.
- improved contact bansdecisive»Förbättra möjligheterna till kontaktförbud« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improve possibilities for contact bans”
- geographical residence bans»Gärningsmän som begått grova brott bör i högre grad bevakas efter avtjänat brott och beläggas med förbud att återvända till den ort där brottet begått eller i närhet till brottsoffret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Perpetrators who have committed serious crimes should to a greater extent be monitored after serving their sentence and be subject to bans from returning to the place where the crime was committed or in proximity to the victim”
- victim's best interest first»Utformningen av politiken måste ske utifrån brottsoffrets bästa, inte gärningsmannen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Policy formulation must be based on the victim's best interest, not the perpetrator's.”
- restricted freedom of movement»Möjliggöra inskränkningar av rörelsefrihet efter avtjänat straff« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Enable restrictions on freedom of movement after serving a sentence”
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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:JuU4)
- Committee report full text (HC01JuU4)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:126 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:157 Riksrevisionens rapport om statens skydd av hotade personer av Helena Vilhelmsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2618 — Åtgärder för att bekämpa mäns våld mot kvinnor av Rasmus Ling m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:3111 — Utgiftsområde 4 Rättsväsendet av Teresa Carvalho m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:3157 — Ett jämställt samhälle av Helena Vilhelmsson m.fl. (C)
- Regeringens skrivelse 2023/24:157 — Riksrevisionens rapport om statens skydd av hotade personer
Source: The Swedish Parliament