This country profile presents the administrative data collected in Sweden during the 2023–2024 data collection exercise with the support of national data providers and national researchers.
The list of 13 indicators developed by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) for the purposes of this data collection exercise is presented in Annex 1.
The data collected in other countries and the methodological report are published in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database.
Key findings of EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise
The figure below outlines the main findings from EIGE’s most recent administrative data collection exercise on intimate partner violence and domestic violence in Sweden.
FIGURE 1Main findings
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Victims of intimate partner violence and domestic violence
- 86 % of offences of intimate partner violence were committed against women in 2022.
- In 2022, 81 % of offences of domestic violence were committed against women.
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Femicide
- 100 % of victims killed by an intimate partner were women in 2022 (10 out of 10).
- Conversely, women represented only 20 % of homicide victims committed by any suspected perpetrator in 2022 (23 out of 116).
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Rape
- In 2022, 94 % of offences of rape committed by any suspected perpetrator were against women (4,988 out of 5,288).
- Similarly, most offences of rape committed by intimate partners and domestic perpetrators were against women in 2022 (97 % and 96 %, respectively).
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Suspected perpetrators reported and prosecuted for violence
- In 2022, 17,316 men were reported for intimate partner violence against women, and 3,412 men were prosecuted.
- In the same year, 20,646 men were reported for domestic violence against women, and 4,103 of men were prosecuted.
Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence and domestic violence
EIGE’s police indicators mainly collect data on victims of intimate partner violence, domestic violence and violence in ‘any relationship’. EIGE defines a victim as ‘a natural person who has suffered harm, including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss which was directly caused by a criminal offence’.
Findings from EIGE’s data collection exercise show that intimate partner violence and domestic violence have the greatest impact on women.
Findings from EIGE’s latest data collection exercise show that intimate partner violence and domestic violence have the greatest impact on women. In Sweden, 86 % of offences of intimate partner violence and 81 % of offences of domestic violence are against women (based on data from 2022).
At the same time, women are less affected by offences of violence in a broader context. In 2022, 57 % of offences of violence in ‘any relationship’ recorded by police were against women victims.
Figure 2 Proportion of offences of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, and violence in any relationship committed against women (Indicator 2), 2022
Intimate partner violence
EIGE defines intimate partner violence as ‘any act of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occurs between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim’.
In Sweden, intimate partner violence is criminalised under Chapters 3, 4 and 6 of the Criminal Code. It is defined as any criminal act against a current or former partner resulting in a repeated violation of that person’s integrity and severely damaging that person’s self-confidence. If these acts are committed by a man against a woman, the offence constitutes gross violation of a woman’s integrity (Section 4a).
Offences of intimate partner violence
In Sweden, most offences of intimate partner violence recorded by police are against women (86 % in 2022). In 2022, police recorded 34,870 offences of intimate partner violence against women.
Figure 3 Annual number of offences of intimate partner violence against female and total victims (Indicator 2), 2020-2022
EIGE’s research shows that intimate partner violence remains a concern for women in Sweden. This finding is substantiated by the results of Brå’s report ‘Intimate partner violence: Mapping victimisation during 2022 and throughout life’.
Findings from the report show that 35 % of women in Sweden have experienced physical, psychological, sexual, economic, or material violence from a partner at some point in their lives.
Offences of specific forms of intimate partner violence
During EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise, national data providers in Sweden shared data on the annual number of offences of physical, psychological, and sexual intimate partner violence recorded by police (Indicators 4-6). Data is not available on offences of economic violence recorded by police.
Figure 4 Annual number of offences of physical, psychological, and sexual intimate partner violence against female and total victims (Indicators 4-6), 2020-2022
Domestic violence
EIGE defines domestic violence as ‘all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit, irrespective of biological or legal family ties, or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence as the victim’.
In Sweden, domestic violence is criminalised under Chapters 3, 4 and 6 of the Criminal Code and defines any criminal act committed against a person the perpetrator is in a close relationship with that results in a repeated violation of that person’s integrity and severely damages that person’s self-confidence. If these acts are committed by a man against a woman, the offence constitutes gross violation of a woman’s integrity (Section 4a).
Offences of domestic violence
According to the latest data, most offences of domestic violence in Sweden are against women victims (81 %). In 2022, 42,024 offences of domestic violence against women were recorded by police.
Figure 5 Annual number of offences of domestic violence against female and total victims (Indicator 2), 2020-2022
Offences of specific forms of domestic violence
As part of EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise, national data providers in Sweden shared data on the annual number of offences of physical, psychological, and sexual domestic violence recorded by police (Indicators 4-6). Data is not available on offences of economic violence recorded by police.
Figure 6 Annual number of offences of physical, psychological, and sexual domestic violence against female and total victims (Indicators 4-6), 2020-2022
Femicide: Number of women killed
EIGE defines femicide as ‘killing of women and girls because of their gender’. It is the most severe manifestation of gender-based violence. EIGE’s femicide classification framework distinguishes between killings committed by intimate partners and family members and other forms of femicide, which are less common.
There is no legal definition of femicide in Sweden. However, data is available on women victims of intimate partner homicide, and any homicide.
Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner homicide
In 2022, women represented all victims of homicide committed by intimate partners. Conversely, women represented only 1 in 5 victims of homicide by any suspected perpetrator during the same year.
Figure 7 Proportion of female victims of intimate partner homicide, and homicide in any relationship (Indicator 9), 2022
Number of women victims of homicide
In 2022, police recorded 23 women victims of homicide committed by any perpetrator. In the same year, police recorded 10 women victims of homicide committed specifically by intimate partners.
Figure 8 Annual number of female victims of intimate partner homicide, and homicide in any relationship (Indicator 9), 2017-2022
Rape: Number of women victims
EIGE defines rape as ‘sexual penetration, whether vaginal, anal or oral, through the use of object or body parts, without consent, using force, coercion or by taking advantage of the vulnerability of the victim’.
In Sweden, rape is criminalised under Chapter 6 of the Criminal Code and occurs when a person performs vaginal, anal or oral intercourse, or a similar sexual act with a person who does not participate voluntarily.
Women are the main victims that suffer from rape
In 2022, 97 % of offences of rape committed by intimate partners were against women. Similarly, in 2022, most offences of domestic rape and rape in any relationship were against women (96% and 94 %, respectively).
Figure 9 Proportion of of offences of intimate partner rape, domestic rape, and rape in any relationship against female victims (Indicator 8), 2022
Number of offences of rape against women
In 2022, 4,988 offences of rape against women were recorded by police.
Data disaggregated by the victim-perpetrator relationship is also available in Sweden. In 2022, the police recorded 1,823 offences of domestic rape against women, and 1,719 offences of intimate partner rape against women.
Figure 10 Annual number of offences of intimate partner rape, domestic rape, and any rape against female victims (Indicator 8), 2019-2022
Protecting victims of violence
Protection orders in the context of violence against women, are defined as ‘a legal injunction that requires an offender to refrain from doing certain acts and to stay away from the victim’. Protection orders can be adopted under criminal or civil laws. They are fast legal remedies to protect people at risk of any form of violence by prohibiting or restraining certain behaviour by the perpetrator.
In 2022, nearly nine thousand protection order applications were filed for victims of violence (8,730).
In the same year, 2,447 protection orders were granted to victims of violence.
Figure 11 Annual number of protection orders (applied and granted) for total victims of violence (Indicator 10), 2015-2022
Suspected perpetrators of intimate partner and domestic violence
Perpetrators are defined as ‘persons brought into formal contact with the police and suspected/arrested or cautioned for a criminal offence’.
Most of EIGE’s indicators collect data on all perpetrators (including male and female perpetrators). However, the data for indicators 3 and 11–13 (on perpetrators reported, prosecuted, sentenced and held in prison) refers strictly to male perpetrators.
Suspected perpetrators of intimate partner violence
In 2022, 17,316 men were reported for intimate partner violence against women. Almost all men reported for intimate partner violence in 2022 were reported for crimes against women (98 %).
Figure 12 Annual number of men reported for intimate partner violence against female and total victims (Indicator 3), 2020-2022
In 2022, far fewer men were prosecuted for intimate partner violence against women (3,412). Similarly, almost all men prosecuted for this type of violence were suspected of committing crimes against women.
Figure 13 Annual number of men prosecuted for intimate partner violence against female and total victims (Indicator 11), 2020-2022
Suspected perpetrators of domestic violence
In 2022, 20,646 men were reported for domestic violence against women. Overall, 90 % of these men were reported for crimes against women.
Figure 14 Annual number of men reported for domestic violence against female and total victims (Indicator 3), 2020-2022
In 2022, fewer men (4,103) were prosecuted for domestic violence against women. Similarly, nearly all of these men were suspected of committing crimes against women.
Figure 15 Annual number of men prosecuted for domestic violence against female and total victims (Indicator 11), 2020-2022
Summary of data availability and next steps
Findings from EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise in Sweden underscore the persistent threat of intimate partner violence and domestic violence to the safety and well-being of women and girls.
The collection of robust administrative data on intimate partner violence and domestic violence is essential to ensure effective policymaking, resource allocation, and the development of targeted interventions to support victims and prevent further violence.
EIGE’s research shows that, in Sweden, data is available on offences of intimate partner violence and domestic violence. However, data is not available on victims of these forms of violence. Moreover, for most indicators, data is not available for the full reference period requested by EIGE (2014-2022).
Data is widely available on the annual number of women victims of homicide committed by intimate partners, and by any suspected perpetrator. However, data on domestic homicide has not been shared with EIGE.
For Indicator 8, data has been shared on the annual number of women victims of rape committed by intimate partners, domestic perpetrators, and any suspected perpetrator.
Justice sector data is more limited in Sweden. Data has been shared on protection orders for victims of violence, but this data is not disaggregated by the victim-perpetrator relationship, or the sex of the victim.
Data providers in Sweden have shared figures on men reported and prosecuted for intimate partner violence and domestic violence against women. However, data is not available on perpetrators sentenced or held in prison for these forms of violence against women. This makes it challenging to explore the extent to which men are brought to justice for violence against women.
In May 2024, the EU adopted Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Article 44 establishes that Member States must work with EIGE to collect administrative data on these forms of violence and must adhere to common standards. EIGE remains committed to supporting Member States in their efforts to collect comprehensive, reliable data on violence against women and domestic violence.
Further details on the data collected during EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise are available in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database and on its website.
Annexes
Annex 1: List of EIGE’s 13 indicators on intimate partner violence and domestic violence