Sweden Releases Sex Guide for Migrants Explaining Why Rape Is Wrong
Swedish officials have released a new "sex guidebook" aimed at tackling the rising number of sexual assaults committed by newly arrived migrants.
"We have seen a great need for young people to get more knowledge and a great need among the adults to get help and support in how to talk about these issues," Youth and Civil Affairs Authority Director General Lena Nyberg explained, according to Metro.
The guidebook, which is titled "Youmo in Practice," talks on the subjects of sex education, health, gender issues, women's rights, consent, and explains that it's illegal to rape women.
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Nyberg added that migrants, which have been arriving to Sweden in increasing numbers over the past several years, come from diverse cultures and need to be made aware of the country's laws.
"One of many parts is to [talk] with young girls and boys about what one can and cannot do," she added.
The guide also reportedly covers "Western views on gender equality" and "LGBT rights."
The Gatestone Institute said in a report on Thursday that Sweden received as many as 163,000 asylum seekers in 2015, while United States only took in 70,000 asylum seekers under former President Barack Obama that same year.
The think tank argues that Sweden's high rape statistics is due in part to the country expanding its sexual offenses law back in 2005 and then again in 2013, which now includes consent rape as well.
Still, it noted Swedish reports that have described a number of gang-rapes connected to migrants in the country. One report stated that 15 unaccompanied migrant boys from Afghanistan were convicted of gang-rapes of other boys in just over a year.
Police reports, such as one from 2016, have also commented on sexual assaults committed by migrants.
"In cases where the crimes were committed by perpetrators in a larger group in public places and in swimming pools, the perpetrators were mainly young people seeking, or recently receiving, asylum in Sweden," the 2016 report stated.
A separate Swedish study found that there were 10,000 reported sex crimes in the country from 2011 to 2016.
Back in February, an article in The Local rejected descriptions in international media that Sweden is a "rape capital" of Europe, arguing that there are different standards in collecting statistics in sexual assaults.
"In Sweden, each case of sexual violence is recorded as a separate incident. So for example, if someone says they were raped by a partner every day for [two weeks], officers will record 14 potential crimes. In other countries the claim could be logged as a single incident," it said.
Still, another article from Metro earlier in September said that there have been as many as 150 sex attacks and 20 rapes at various festivals around the country in 2017, signifying a significant rise from the numbers reported last year.
In one instance, the Bråvalla Festival announced that it is canceling its event for 2018 after a total of 23 sex assaults and four rapes were reported at the festival this year, with organizers admitting they were powerless to stop the attacks.
