Pub Date : 2021-07-03DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1979867
G. Oddsson, A. Hill, Thoroddur Bjarnason
ABSTRACT Rural police officers confront unique professional challenges and opportunities. Little research exists on these dynamics, and most empirical knowledge of rural policing comes from the United States, Britain, and Australia. This study helps to address this gap by examining what rural police officers in Iceland present as their main professional challenges and opportunities. The study involved semi-structured interviews with 23 police officers. The interviewees framed understaffing, overwork, an extensive range of tasks with little to no backup, and a blurring of work-life boundaries as the main challenges of rural policing. Working in tight-knit rural communities, however, offers rural police officers opportunities to develop a broad skillset, innovate, and mobilize the community’s social capital. Most importantly, rural police officers must master the art of soft policing, which requires superior communication skills centred on extensive dialogue, negotiation, de-escalation, and minimal use of force to build trust and consensus. Iceland’s egalitarian and tight-knit society, which fosters public trust in the police, cooperation, and informal social control, helps officers in this regard. The findings reveal a distinct ‘rural police professionalism’ that extends beyond the workplace and overlaps with and complements ‘urban police professionalism’.
{"title":"Jacks (and Jills) of all trades: the gentle art of policing rural Iceland","authors":"G. Oddsson, A. Hill, Thoroddur Bjarnason","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1979867","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1979867","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Rural police officers confront unique professional challenges and opportunities. Little research exists on these dynamics, and most empirical knowledge of rural policing comes from the United States, Britain, and Australia. This study helps to address this gap by examining what rural police officers in Iceland present as their main professional challenges and opportunities. The study involved semi-structured interviews with 23 police officers. The interviewees framed understaffing, overwork, an extensive range of tasks with little to no backup, and a blurring of work-life boundaries as the main challenges of rural policing. Working in tight-knit rural communities, however, offers rural police officers opportunities to develop a broad skillset, innovate, and mobilize the community’s social capital. Most importantly, rural police officers must master the art of soft policing, which requires superior communication skills centred on extensive dialogue, negotiation, de-escalation, and minimal use of force to build trust and consensus. Iceland’s egalitarian and tight-knit society, which fosters public trust in the police, cooperation, and informal social control, helps officers in this regard. The findings reveal a distinct ‘rural police professionalism’ that extends beyond the workplace and overlaps with and complements ‘urban police professionalism’.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"80 1","pages":"129 - 148"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83855219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-07-03DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1985246
M. Madsen
ABSTRACT Ethnic minority communities in Nordic countries are increasingly subject to stereotypical and proactive policing practices. These developments have inspired new research on police-community relations. This article presents findings on police cooperativeness amongst ethnic minority parents residing in a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Denmark, based on qualitative data from a ten-month field study. Taking a ‘critical legal consciousness’ approach, the analysis describes how the parents conceptualize the need to call the police based on their combined evaluation of ‘problematic situations’, expected outcome of involving the police and alternative actions they might take instead of calling the police. Although experiences of negative police encounters were found to be a key factor causing parents to be hesitant to call the police, certain situational factors were found to overrule such experiences and inspired cooperativeness. These are particularly those which parents described as dangerous or as threatening to the wider community. The article discusses whether ethnic minority parents’ willingness to call the police reflects a larger process of internal social distancing between law-abiding residents and a minority of undesirable deviants. The findings have implications for improving police-community relations and provide nuanced insights into the social life of a marginalized community.
{"title":"Calling the police from the ‘ghetto’: legal consciousness amongst ethnic minority parents","authors":"M. Madsen","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1985246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1985246","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Ethnic minority communities in Nordic countries are increasingly subject to stereotypical and proactive policing practices. These developments have inspired new research on police-community relations. This article presents findings on police cooperativeness amongst ethnic minority parents residing in a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Denmark, based on qualitative data from a ten-month field study. Taking a ‘critical legal consciousness’ approach, the analysis describes how the parents conceptualize the need to call the police based on their combined evaluation of ‘problematic situations’, expected outcome of involving the police and alternative actions they might take instead of calling the police. Although experiences of negative police encounters were found to be a key factor causing parents to be hesitant to call the police, certain situational factors were found to overrule such experiences and inspired cooperativeness. These are particularly those which parents described as dangerous or as threatening to the wider community. The article discusses whether ethnic minority parents’ willingness to call the police reflects a larger process of internal social distancing between law-abiding residents and a minority of undesirable deviants. The findings have implications for improving police-community relations and provide nuanced insights into the social life of a marginalized community.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"17 1","pages":"185 - 202"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78161898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-14DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1920756
N. Golovchanova, H. Andershed, K. Boersma, Karin Hellfeldt
ABSTRACT Feeling safe is important for quality of life in advanced age. The current study aimed to investigate whether different perceived reasons for unsafety uniquely contribute to the feelings of unsafety in the neighbourhood and at home while ageing. Data from a cross-sectional survey study on older adults living independently in Sweden were analysed (N = 622, age range 64–106 years, 60.6% female). Binary logistic regressions revealed unique associations between fear of crime, unattractive social climate in the neighbourhood, and inconvenient infrastructure at home with experienced feelings of unsafety, while controlling for socio-demographic factors. When distinguishing between reasons for feeling unsafe in the neighbourhood and at home, different associations with socio-demographic factors emerged. Higher age was positively associated with health-related unsafety both in the neighbourhood and at home and was not related to fear of crime neither in the neighbourhood nor at home. Female gender was associated with both health-related unsafety and fear of crime in the neighbourhood and with health-related unsafety at home. Overall, the findings highlight the presence of a range of perceived reasons of unsafety relevant for older adults and the importance to consider these subjective unsafety reasons in further research and practice.
{"title":"Perceived reasons of unsafety among independently living older adults in Sweden","authors":"N. Golovchanova, H. Andershed, K. Boersma, Karin Hellfeldt","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1920756","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1920756","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Feeling safe is important for quality of life in advanced age. The current study aimed to investigate whether different perceived reasons for unsafety uniquely contribute to the feelings of unsafety in the neighbourhood and at home while ageing. Data from a cross-sectional survey study on older adults living independently in Sweden were analysed (N = 622, age range 64–106 years, 60.6% female). Binary logistic regressions revealed unique associations between fear of crime, unattractive social climate in the neighbourhood, and inconvenient infrastructure at home with experienced feelings of unsafety, while controlling for socio-demographic factors. When distinguishing between reasons for feeling unsafe in the neighbourhood and at home, different associations with socio-demographic factors emerged. Higher age was positively associated with health-related unsafety both in the neighbourhood and at home and was not related to fear of crime neither in the neighbourhood nor at home. Female gender was associated with both health-related unsafety and fear of crime in the neighbourhood and with health-related unsafety at home. Overall, the findings highlight the presence of a range of perceived reasons of unsafety relevant for older adults and the importance to consider these subjective unsafety reasons in further research and practice.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"1 1","pages":"44 - 60"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74399375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-07DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1918435
J. Lindström, Timo Toikko
ABSTRACT In recent years, experts by experience have participated in the practices of social work and policy-making in increasing numbers. At the core of expert-by-experience training is the idea of constructing a story based on one’s own experiences. This study looks at how empowerment is manifested in the descriptions experts by experience with a history of crime and substance abuse give of their narratives and what kind of relationship to society is constructed in them. For the purpose of this study, 19 individuals who had undergone the expert-by-experience educational programme aimed at ex-offenders and recovering addicts were interviewed. The results show that one’s own narrative was identified as an empowerment resource and, by sharing their story, people became part of social networks and gained a better understanding of their situation. Their relationship to society was constructed in both individual processes and encounters with professionals. The participants’ attitudes towards authorities became more positive. The shared narratives revealed gaps in the social welfare system and this increased the participants’ critical consciousness of society’s ability to take care of its most vulnerable. Authorized by their background, the participants were able to represent their reference groups on a broader scale and remove stigma attached to them.
{"title":"Survival stories as access to society. People with history of a crime as experts by experience","authors":"J. Lindström, Timo Toikko","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1918435","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1918435","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In recent years, experts by experience have participated in the practices of social work and policy-making in increasing numbers. At the core of expert-by-experience training is the idea of constructing a story based on one’s own experiences. This study looks at how empowerment is manifested in the descriptions experts by experience with a history of crime and substance abuse give of their narratives and what kind of relationship to society is constructed in them. For the purpose of this study, 19 individuals who had undergone the expert-by-experience educational programme aimed at ex-offenders and recovering addicts were interviewed. The results show that one’s own narrative was identified as an empowerment resource and, by sharing their story, people became part of social networks and gained a better understanding of their situation. Their relationship to society was constructed in both individual processes and encounters with professionals. The participants’ attitudes towards authorities became more positive. The shared narratives revealed gaps in the social welfare system and this increased the participants’ critical consciousness of society’s ability to take care of its most vulnerable. Authorized by their background, the participants were able to represent their reference groups on a broader scale and remove stigma attached to them.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"30 1","pages":"3 - 22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76928520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-03-15DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1900038
Olof Bäckman, F. Estrada, Anders Nilsson, Fredrik Sivertsson
ABSTRACT This study investigates Swedish conviction trends by individuals’ immigrant background for the period 1973–2017. The central research question is whether relative differences in conviction levels have increased, declined or remained unchanged over recent decades. This question is examined in part using a traditional cross-sectional approach, and in part using a cohort-based approach. All results are presented by gender, and results for the cohort-based approach also by holding socioeconomic background constant. The results show that conviction levels have decreased, to a greater extent among men than among women, irrespective of immigrant background. The level of overrepresentation among those born in Sweden to foreign-born parents has increased somewhat, while the overrepresentation of those born abroad has decreased towards the end of the period examined.
{"title":"Criminal convictions and immigrant background 1973–2017 in Sweden – have differences increased or declined?","authors":"Olof Bäckman, F. Estrada, Anders Nilsson, Fredrik Sivertsson","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1900038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1900038","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study investigates Swedish conviction trends by individuals’ immigrant background for the period 1973–2017. The central research question is whether relative differences in conviction levels have increased, declined or remained unchanged over recent decades. This question is examined in part using a traditional cross-sectional approach, and in part using a cohort-based approach. All results are presented by gender, and results for the cohort-based approach also by holding socioeconomic background constant. The results show that conviction levels have decreased, to a greater extent among men than among women, irrespective of immigrant background. The level of overrepresentation among those born in Sweden to foreign-born parents has increased somewhat, while the overrepresentation of those born abroad has decreased towards the end of the period examined.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"174 1","pages":"149 - 168"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80691844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-02-24DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1889133
Sarah Pritchett, Kim Moeller
ABSTRACT Radical violent extremism is a growing concern for the Nordic countries. In this interest, we examine how traditional criminological theories can help to explain the difference between violent and non-violent radical extremist individuals. We analyse the Profiles of Individuals Radicalized in the United States (PIRUS) dataset, with information on 2148 radical criminals in the United States, using a logistic regression, wherein violence was the dependent variable. The independent variables corresponded to aspects of social bonds and social learning. Results indicate that social bond theory has little predictive value for violence among radical criminals. Social learning perspectives were somewhat more predictive, with radical peers having a significant positive effect on the likelihood of radical violence. Socio-economic status, ideology and criminal history had significant positive effects as well. We conclude by exploring theoretical explanations, further research implications and discuss a Nordic version of a database.
{"title":"Can social bonds and social learning theories help explain radical violent extremism?","authors":"Sarah Pritchett, Kim Moeller","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1889133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1889133","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Radical violent extremism is a growing concern for the Nordic countries. In this interest, we examine how traditional criminological theories can help to explain the difference between violent and non-violent radical extremist individuals. We analyse the Profiles of Individuals Radicalized in the United States (PIRUS) dataset, with information on 2148 radical criminals in the United States, using a logistic regression, wherein violence was the dependent variable. The independent variables corresponded to aspects of social bonds and social learning. Results indicate that social bond theory has little predictive value for violence among radical criminals. Social learning perspectives were somewhat more predictive, with radical peers having a significant positive effect on the likelihood of radical violence. Socio-economic status, ideology and criminal history had significant positive effects as well. We conclude by exploring theoretical explanations, further research implications and discuss a Nordic version of a database.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"42 1","pages":"83 - 101"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82439864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-02DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1898128
Lisa Wallin, Sara Uhnoo, Å. Wettergren, Moa Bladini
ABSTRACT A new rape legislation, premised on the requirement of voluntariness, entered into force in Sweden during 2018. This article examines the application and interpretation of voluntariness in Swedish negligent rape judgements with a unique combination of the theoretical perspectives’ sociology of emotion and feminist-legal studies. The material consists of 12 court judgements, from the period 2018–2020, analysed by means of thematic content analysis. The findings show that the judgements in negligent rape cases are based on an evaluation of credibility, supported by evidence that consists of witness statements. These evaluations entail emotions and stereotypes about gender and sexuality, pertaining to rape myths – leading to inconsistent outcomes. Yet, some fundamental assumptions about gender and sexuality are challenged, indicating that the new law may invite discursive shifts and enhanced reflexivity in legal reasoning. The findings are valuable in the work to minimize legal discrimination and secure equality before the law.
{"title":"Capricious credibility – legal assessments of voluntariness in Swedish negligent rape judgements","authors":"Lisa Wallin, Sara Uhnoo, Å. Wettergren, Moa Bladini","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1898128","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1898128","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT A new rape legislation, premised on the requirement of voluntariness, entered into force in Sweden during 2018. This article examines the application and interpretation of voluntariness in Swedish negligent rape judgements with a unique combination of the theoretical perspectives’ sociology of emotion and feminist-legal studies. The material consists of 12 court judgements, from the period 2018–2020, analysed by means of thematic content analysis. The findings show that the judgements in negligent rape cases are based on an evaluation of credibility, supported by evidence that consists of witness statements. These evaluations entail emotions and stereotypes about gender and sexuality, pertaining to rape myths – leading to inconsistent outcomes. Yet, some fundamental assumptions about gender and sexuality are challenged, indicating that the new law may invite discursive shifts and enhanced reflexivity in legal reasoning. The findings are valuable in the work to minimize legal discrimination and secure equality before the law.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"35 1","pages":"3 - 22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76151148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-02DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1882744
V. Ceccato, Linda Langefors, P. Näsman
ABSTRACT The objective of this article is to assess whether, how and why young people’s safety perceptions vary along the trip. Informed by principles of environmental criminology, this study makes use of a dataset recently collected among young riders of public transportation (1,122 university students) in Stockholm, Sweden. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and logistic regression models underlie the methodology of the study. Findings indicate that safety perceptions of young riders are affected by previous experience of sexual crimes but are not affected by overall victimization. More importantly, being exposed to high crime environments on the way to the metro significantly reduces young people’s safety perceptions (but not on the way to bus stops), especially for men. Drunk people tend to affect women’s safety perceptions, especially in bus systems. The article finishes by discussing the implications of the results for future research and helps advocate more inclusion of young people’s safety needs when implementing safety and transportation policies.
{"title":"Young people’s victimization and safety perceptions along the trip","authors":"V. Ceccato, Linda Langefors, P. Näsman","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1882744","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1882744","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The objective of this article is to assess whether, how and why young people’s safety perceptions vary along the trip. Informed by principles of environmental criminology, this study makes use of a dataset recently collected among young riders of public transportation (1,122 university students) in Stockholm, Sweden. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and logistic regression models underlie the methodology of the study. Findings indicate that safety perceptions of young riders are affected by previous experience of sexual crimes but are not affected by overall victimization. More importantly, being exposed to high crime environments on the way to the metro significantly reduces young people’s safety perceptions (but not on the way to bus stops), especially for men. Drunk people tend to affect women’s safety perceptions, especially in bus systems. The article finishes by discussing the implications of the results for future research and helps advocate more inclusion of young people’s safety needs when implementing safety and transportation policies.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"8 1","pages":"106 - 125"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89691453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-02DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1898754
C. Gallo, K. Svensson
ABSTRACT This article aims to describe and analyse the policy work by Sweden’s largest victim support organization – the Swedish Association for Victim Support (BOJ) – in the area of violence against women. The article is based on a study of BOJ’s national archive and interviews with key figures in the organization. We analysed the material within the context of contemporary governing political ideas in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, particularly concerning violence against women. We argue that BOJ is both a creation and a creator of its time. BOJ gained a position in a changing welfare state and has adhered to contemporary governing ideas over time. At the same time, BOJ has helped silence structural discourses around violence against women in relation to both class and gender by supporting the notion that considered abused women to be crime victims, and not as women first and foremost. Going forward, it is essential to ask whether defining abused women principally as ‘victims of crime’ is helpful or harmful. If we adjust how violence against women is perceived, the solutions will change.
{"title":"An influential child of its time: Victim Support Sweden and the changing discourse on violence against women","authors":"C. Gallo, K. Svensson","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1898754","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1898754","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This article aims to describe and analyse the policy work by Sweden’s largest victim support organization – the Swedish Association for Victim Support (BOJ) – in the area of violence against women. The article is based on a study of BOJ’s national archive and interviews with key figures in the organization. We analysed the material within the context of contemporary governing political ideas in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, particularly concerning violence against women. We argue that BOJ is both a creation and a creator of its time. BOJ gained a position in a changing welfare state and has adhered to contemporary governing ideas over time. At the same time, BOJ has helped silence structural discourses around violence against women in relation to both class and gender by supporting the notion that considered abused women to be crime victims, and not as women first and foremost. Going forward, it is essential to ask whether defining abused women principally as ‘victims of crime’ is helpful or harmful. If we adjust how violence against women is perceived, the solutions will change.","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"17 1","pages":"90 - 105"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79459133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-01-02DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2021.1911377
A. Heber
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 victimand 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 raperevenge 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 r
{"title":"Introducing the special issue on sexual violence in a Nordic context","authors":"A. Heber","doi":"10.1080/2578983X.2021.1911377","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/2578983X.2021.1911377","url":null,"abstract":"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 victimand 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 raperevenge 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 r","PeriodicalId":36682,"journal":{"name":"Nordic Journal of Criminology","volume":"17 1","pages":"1 - 2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81756235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：