In Sweden, violent crime has overtaken drug-related offenses as the most common crime committed by women sentenced to longer prison terms. According to the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, the majority of women in Sweden’s two maximum security prisons, Hinseberg and Ystad, are now convicted of violent crimes rather than drug-related offenses as was the case previously. Swedish radio reported.
In addition, more detainees have been linked to criminal networks, according to the institutions. According to Swedish Radio, the average sentence for convicted women has increased over the past five years, indicating the rising rate of crimes committed by women. The number of girls in gangs has doubled since 2021, according to Stockholm police, and instead of being passively exploited, women are becoming active perpetrators, Swedish radio reported.
Kicki Sehlstedt, a columnist for the Aftonbladet newspaper, said it shows “gender equality has reached perhaps the most macho environment there is”. He added that few feminists would celebrate it.
‘Dealing with men who have a strong capital of violence…’
Catherine Gardell, a former criminal who now works as a crime prevention expert in Linkoping, attributed the trend to the MeToo movement, which aimed to prevent harassment and empower women, the newspaper reported.
“Today, in all other contexts, young girls are told to defend themselves. If there are women who have been exploited in the past, is it in the criminal world. Now many are tired: why should they keep their boyfriend’s drugs, or hide things without making money themselves? Violent crime becomes a natural consequence,” Gardell told Aftonbladet.
Sweden became one of the epicenters of the global MeToo movement in 2017. Hundreds of petitions from women of various professions, ranging from church officials and opera singers to prostitutes, have backed a succession of very publicized against accused sexual predators in the Scandinavian nation. over a period of several months.
Since then, MeToo has become a staple of the already largely feminist Swedish media discourse, as has the topic of sexual assault. Amazingly, as a result of the MeToo campaign, a number of women accused of sexual misconduct have been found guilty of defamation.
