Stronger protection against psychological violence as new law comes into force

Psychological violence can involve repeated degrading treatment, threats, controlling behaviour, surveillance or isolation that undermines a person’s self-esteem and creates fear over time. Previously, this type of systematic behaviour was not always covered by legislation.

"Psychological violence can have serious and long-lasting consequences for those subjected to it. Its criminalisation is an important step towards strengthening protection for victims of violence and making it clear that this form av violence is also unacceptable," says Lena Axelsson Örnerfors, an investigator at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency.

The new legislation is part of efforts to prevent and combat men’s violence against women and contribute to the goal of ending violence.

Examples of psychological violence include:

• derogatory comments and degrading treatment
• threats of suicide, or threats of violence or lethal violence against someone close to the person subjected to the violence
• controlling behaviour, such as restricting contact with friends or controlling finances, mobile phones and everyday life
• surveillance and monitoring of a person’s whereabouts, behaviour or finances.

The offence concerns repeated acts which, taken together, can damage a person’s self-esteem and create fear and isolation. It is important to understand the violence as a pattern, rather than as isolated acts.

For the law to have the intended impact, professionals who encounter people subjected to violence must also have the necessary knowledge—for example, those working in the justice system, social services, health care and medical care.

Read more on the page Criminal liability for psychological violence