In the statistics for 2008, just over 14,300 crimes of a sexual nature were reported (e.g. sexual molestation, sexual coercion or rape).
Over the past ten years, the number of reported sex crimes has increased by 58 percent. This increase is probably due to a combination of an increase the tendency to report the crimes and an increase in actual criminality. At the same time, there is a large hidden number as regards crimes of a sexual nature.
The most common sex crime in the statistics in 2008 was sexual molestation, which made up half of all reported offences. Rape constituted around 38 percent of the reported sex crimes.
Diagram: Reported crimes of a sexual nature in Sweden for the last ten years
The majority of those suspected of crimes of a sexual nature are men. In 2008, two percent of the suspects were women (35 people). The majority of the victims are women. In 26 percent of the reported cases, the victims are below 15 years of age.
15 percent of all reported crimes of a sexual nature and 28 percent of rapes were cleared up through person-based clearance. This means that the public prosecutor, after the investigation, has a justifiable suspect, and that the prosecutor has decided to prosecute, has declined to prosecute (may happen for example if the person is under 18 years of age or if the crime is minor) or has opted for a summary court order (fines and/or conditional judgements).
In 2008, actions were brought against more than 1000 people where crimes of a sexual nature were the main offence. Almost 50 per cent of these were sentenced to imprisonment. The average period of imprisonment was two years and six months for rape, and five years and ten months for aggravated rape.
