sou · GYB371 · 2010-10-27 00:00:00 — Vi före- slår dock att straffminimum för brottet sexuellt utnyttjande av barn höjs från allmänna fängelseminimum till fängelse . Straffet blir alltså fängelse i lägst och högst . Syftet med höjningen är främst att utjämna tröskeleffekter i straff- värdehänseende mellan våldtäkt mot barn och sexuellt utnyttjande av barn. Tillämpningen av ansvarsfrihetsregeln i 6 kap. 14 § – som säger att man inte ska döma till ansvar om det är uppenbart att gärningen inte inneburit något övergrepp mot barnet med hänsyn till ringa skillnad i ålder och utveckling mellan den som begått gär- ningen och barnet – förefaller vara väl avvägd. Även straffskalan för brottet grovt sexuellt övergrepp mot barn bör ändras. Vårt förslag är att straffminimum för det brottet höjs från fängelse till fängelse . Straffet för grovt sexuellt övergrepp mot barn blir alltså fängelse i lägst och högst Syftet med höjningen är att utjämna tröskeleffekter i straff- värdehänseende mellan våldtäkt mot barn och sexuellt övergrepp mot barn. Gränsdragningen i rättstillämpningen mellan våldtäkt mot barn och grov våldtäkt mot barn samt mellan sexuellt övergrepp mot barn och grovt sexuellt övergrepp mot barn fungerar generellt sett på det sätt som förutsatts i förarbetena till nuvarande lagstiftning. Med hänsyn till att underlaget för utvärderingen har varit mycket begränsat är det inte möjligt att dra några säkra slutsatser gällande frågan om det finns några problem vid tillämpningen av brottet ut- nyttjande av barn för sexuell posering eller vid tillämpningen av brottet köp av sexuell handling av barn. Tillämpningsområdet för bestämmelsen om sexuellt ofredande (6 kap. 10 § ) och dess andra stycke andra led – gärningar där någon genom ord eller handlande ofredar en person sexuellt – har i praxis snävats in, trots att avsikten var att kriminaliseringens räck- vidd skulle vara i princip densamma som före reformen. I syfte att något utsträcka tillämpningsområdet för sexuellt ofre- dande genom ord eller handlande föreslår vi att bestämmelsen ändras. För straffbarhet ska gälla att en person genom ord eller handlande ofredar en person på ett sexuellt kränkande sätt. För den objektiva bedömningen ska det då inte spela någon roll vilken avsikt gärnings- mannen haft med sitt handlande. Gärningar där en person genom ord eller handling ofredar en med- vetslös eller sovande person sexuellt ska omfattas av bestämmelsen om sexuellt ofredande i 6 kap. 10 § andra stycket. Angående sexuellt ofredande av barn föreslår vi att första stycket i bestämmelsens om sexuellt ofredande utvidgas för att ska uppfylla de krav som följer av konvention om skydd för barn mot sexuell exploatering och sexuella övergrepp. Vidare ska för gärningar som innebär att ett barn berörs sexuellt eller för- mås medverka i någon handling med sexuell innebörd – i likhet med gärningar enligt andra stycket – gälla att det inte krävs ett särskilt sexuellt syfte hos gärningsmannen för att en brottslig gärning objek- tivt sett ska ha begåtts. konvention om skydd för barn mot sexuell exploatering och sexuella övergrepp utarbetades det inom en konvention om skydd för barn mot sexuell exploatering och sexuella övergrepp. undertecknade konventionen i samband med att den öppnades för undertecknande . Syftet med kon- ventionen är att förebygga och bekämpa sexuell exploatering och sexuella övergrepp mot barn, att skydda brottsoffrens rättigheter samt att främja nationellt och internationellt samarbete i frågan. Vi har funnit brister i den svenska lagstiftningen i förhållande till kraven i artiklarna 18, 22, 25.4 och 33 i konventionen. För att ska uppfylla konventionens krav bör den ändring av 6 kap. 1 § andra stycket som vi tidigare föreslagit genomföras. Vidare krävs att brottet sexuellt ofredande, 6 kap. 10 § första stycket , utvidgas till att uttryckligen omfatta gärningar där ett barn i ett sexuellt syfte förmås att bevittna en sexuell handling. Det krävs också att brottet utnyttjande av barn för sexuell posering, brott av normalgraden, 6 kap. 8 § första och andra stycket , samt brottet köp av sexuell handling av barn, 9 § samma kapitel och balk, ska undantas från kravet på s.k. dubbel straffbarhet. Bristen bör åtgärdas genom att brotten läggs till den uppräkning som finns i 2 kap. 2 § fjärde stycket . Vidare krävs för ett tillträde att preskriptionstiden för normal- graden av brottet utnyttjande av barn för sexuell posering förlängs. Vårt förslag är att bristen ska åtgärdas genom att brottet läggs till i uppräkningen i 35 kap. 4 § andra stycket . bör tillträda konventionen. Vi föreslår att regeringen in- hämtar godkännande i frågan. Following a Government resolution on 17 2008, a commission was set up to evaluate the application of the Sexual Offences Reform of 2005. Judge was appointed Commissioner, to be assisted by a group of advisory experts. The group so composed adopted the name the Sexual Offences Commission of 2008 (sexualbrottsutredning). The following is a summary of the report submitted by the Commission in October 2010. We have been assigned to first, evaluate the application of the Sexual Offences Reform of 2005, second, investigate and adopt a position on whether the current requirement of coercion as a basis for cri- minal liability for rape should be replaced by a requirement of lack of consent and third, analyse the question of ratification of on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse and what statutory amendments may in that case be required. Our Terms of Reference have, to the extent they concern the evaluation of the Sexual Offences Reform of 2005, aimed to follow up and investigate how the provisions have worked in practice and whether the aim of the Reform has been achieved. In particular we have been tasked with focusing on the offence of rape and the special penal provisions concerning sexual offences against children and in these respects what the outcome has been in application. The Terms of Reference also included, in the event that the evaluation or the assignment should otherwise show that amend- ments to legislation need to be made, providing a proposal for such amendments. As regards the issue of consent-based regulation, we were directed to prepare a proposal for how such regulation should be structured regardless of the position adopted on the substantive issues. Evaluation of the Reform of 2005 and the issue of consent-based regulation Has the aim of the Reform been achieved? We are of the opinion that viewed overall the protection of per- sonal and sexual integrity and sexual self-determination has been improved and made clearer by the Sexual Offences Reform of 2005, and similarly that the protection of children, that is to say persons aged under 18, has improved. Moreover, we are of the opinion that the aim of the Reform, to create clear and well-defined provisions, has been basically satisfied. Viewed generally, the aim of the legi- slator with the Reform has in these respects been achieved. However, when looking at different categories of offence indivi- dually, the aim has been achieved to varying extents. In our opinion there are some inadequacies in the legislation or the application of law as regards first, the provisions relating to offences against adults in situations of exploitation, second, the demarcation between the special penal provisions on sexual offences against children and third, the offence of sexual harassment. against this background, we have found reason to propose some changes to the sexual offences legislation. Our hope is that these amendments will further improve the protection of personal and sexual integrity and sexual self-determination and also further clarify and define the scope of the provisions. The term sexual act Through the Sexual Offences Reform of 2005 the term sexual rela- tions (sexuellt umgänge) was replaced throughout Chapter 6 of the Swedish Penal Code with the somewhat broader term sexual act (sexuell handling). In our opinion, the introduction of the term sexual act has proved suitable for the purpose and served the aim of the legislator with the Reform well. This term is now established in the application of law. Rape and other more aggravated sexual violations of adults – the term helpless state and the question of coercion or consent as grounds for criminal liability We have identified certain inadequacies in the current rules and appli- cation of the offence of rape and other more aggravated violations of adults. One inadequacy comprises the current term helpless state (hjälplöst tillstånd) being too narrow; that is to say, it does not cover all of the acts that deserve to be penalised where the perpetrator has exploited the situation in which the victim finds themself. Another inadequacy is that in certain other situations, when there has neither been coercion nor exploitation, carrying out a sexual act against a person who does not consent is not criminalised as a more serious sexual offence than sexual harassment. This may, for instance, be the case when a victim encounters the abuse with total passivity. More- over, there are certain inadequacies in the legislation as regards situa- tions with the deception of the victim on the part of the perpetrator (known as sexual fraud). The basis of the sexual offences legislation should continue to be the right of every individual to sexual self-determination and sexual integrity. The interest in protecting the right of sexual self- determination is thus central to the rules. The issue of whether there is consent for a sexual act becomes therefore decisive for whether or not the act constitutes a sexual offence. Even if the right of sexual self-determination is the interest that the legislation aims to protect, it is not obvious that the Act is to be founded on consent as a fundamental feature of the requisites for the offence. It may also be construed so that it points out those situations when consent is not given or is not relevant. It has been a natural point of departure for our deliberations that the Swedish sexual offences legislation should be compatible with international obligations in this field. Con- vention, and how its fundamental freedoms and rights have been interpreted by Court of Human Rights, is thereby of vital importance. There were deliberations in conjunction with the Reform of 2005 regarding the implications the Judgment (the ruling of Court of Human Rights of , M.C. v. ) has concerning the question of how the Swedish sexual offences legislation should be structured. In the opinion of the Government, with which the majority of the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) concurred, the Swedish sexual offences legi- slation does not violate Convention. The debate con- cerning the interpretation of the Judgment has continued after the Reform of 2005. We have analysed the Judgment. It is our opinion that the Judgment does not entail an obligation on to structure the legislation relating to sexual offences in a specific way. However, it is required that our substantive criminal law and the application of it complies with the requirements imposed by Articles 3 and 8 of Convention, as expressed in the Judgment. It must be possible to punish every sexual act that has occurred with- out consent. It may be questioned whether we fully satisfy this re- quirement with the current legislation and practice. The importance of consent when assessing what is a permitted and conversely not permitted sexual act should be indicated directly by the Act. However, we are not of the opinion that a pure consent rule, that is to say a rule where lack of consent is the fundamental and only requisite for an offence, should be introduced. We pro- pose instead that the structure of the current regulation of the more aggravated sexual violations of adults be retained but that the legi- slation is supplemented. The offences rape (våldtäkt) and sexual coercion (sexuellt tvång) shall, according to the proposal we present, continue to be based on means (coercion) and circumstances (exploitation). In order to rectify inadequacies in the current criminalisation of these offences and other more serious sexual violations of adults, we propose first, that Chapter 6, Section 1, second paragraph of the Penal Code be extended and second, that a completely new and consent-based pro- vision is introduced where the offence is to be called sexual abuse (sexuellt övergrepp). The extension of Section 1, second paragraph means that it should be punishable to improperly exploit not only persons who finds themself in a helpless state, but also those who otherwise have difficulties in protecting their sexual integrity. This may, for instance, refer to a person who is abducted and taken to a place unknown to him or her and there exploited sexually. Another example can be the exploitation of persons under the influence of drugs or alcohol who finds themself in a threatening or vulnerable situation. A decisive factor should be whether the person exposed finds themselves in a situation where the possibilities of freely rejecting sexual acts for one reason or another are limited. Through the offence of sexual abuse, introduced by a new Sec- tion 3, it is criminalised to carry out a sexual act with a person without the permission of the person. The provision should be sub- sidiary to the provisions on rape and sexual coercion, that is to say applied only if the act does not constitute rape or sexual coercion. The penal scale proposed for the offence is imprisonment for at most four years. Besides the provision clarifying the significance of consent, it is ensured that it will be possible to punish in an adequate way those who – regardless of whether or not coercion or exploi- tation has occurred – carry out a sexual act with someone who does not allow it. In our opinion, there is no doubt that we will satisfy our inter- national obligations if the proposal is implemented. If we had considered that a pure consent-based rule ought to have been introduced, we would have presented the proposal shown in Appendix 3. Rape and sexual coercion – demarcation and division into degrees The demarcation between the offences rape and sexual coercion by reference to sexual intercourse as a base for a comparative norm has in a general sense functioned in the anticipated by the travaux préparatoires of the current legislation. In order to emphasise that it is in the first instance an assessment of the violation in the case of a sexual act that is to be made, we propose an amendment of the rape provision. The amendment means that it is stated in the provision that sexual acts, besides sexual intercourse, which form a basis of liability for rape are those where the act, considering the seriousness of the sexual violation, is comparable with forced sexual intercourse. The demarcation in the application of law between rape and sexual coercion, based on the level of coercion, also appears to function in the way anticipated by the travaux préparatoires of the current legi- slation. The amendment of the rape provision comprising a reduc- tion of the level of coercion has contributed to further improve and clarify the right to personal and sexual integrity and sexual self- determination. As regards the demarcation between rape and gross rape, there has been a reduction in the number of gross offences prosecuted both in absolute and in relative figures since 2005. However, set against the background of the fact that there are a rather small number of cases each year, the prosecution statistics should be interpreted with some caution. In addition, the real profile of actual criminality is unclear. It is therefore difficult to adopt a position on the question of whether the legislators aim with the Reform in this respect – that the scope of the gross offence should be extended slightly – has been achieved. It would be appropriate to follow up this question in the future, for instance through a review of practice within the framework of the work of the in . There may also, in the context of training within the judicial service, be reason to examine in parti- cular the question of the division of the offence of rape into degrees. The application of the less severe penal scale for rape according to Chapter 6, Section 1, third paragraph of the Penal Code generally functions in the anticipated by the travaux préparatoires of the Reform of 2005. Protection of children against sexual offences Several new penal provisions that only protect children were intro- duced by the Reform of 2005. Sexual offences against children are generally attributed today a higher penal value than prior to the Reform. In particular the Reform has involved a significant lift in the stringency of penalties as regards acts that are charged as rapes of children (våldtäkt mot barn). The demarcation in the application of law between the offences rape of a child (våldtäkt mot barn) and sexual abuse of a child (sexuellt övergrepp mot barn) generally function in the anticipated by the travaux préparatoires of the current legislation. The offences should be retained and the demarcation between the offences should still have as a point of departure sexual intercourse as a comparative norm. The scope of the rape offence should, however, be extended slightly. Criminal liability for rape of a child should, according to our proposal, therefore also besides sexual intercourse cover every other sexual act that, considering the seriousness of the sexual viola- tion, is comparable with sexual intercourse. Compared with offences according to Section 1 (rape of adult), it should no longer be the case that the scope is basically the same. The results can deviate in particular as the information base for the assessment is different when the matter involves an adult or a child, respectively. The demarcation in the application of law between rape of a child and sexual exploitation of a child (sexuellt utnyttjande av barn) also functions in all essential respects in the anticipated by the travaux préparatoires of the current legislation. However, we pro- pose that the penal minimum for the offence sexual exploitation of a child be increased from the general minimum term of imprison- ment to imprisonment for six months. The penalty would there- fore be imprisonment for at least six months and at most four years. The aim of the increase is primarily to equalise threshold effects in respect of penal value between rape of a child and sexual exploi- tation of a child. The scope of the rule on exemption of liability contained in Chapter 6, Section 14 of the Penal Code – which provides that a person shall not be held criminally responsible if it is obvious that the act did not involve any abuse of the child in view of the slight difference in age and development between the person who com- mitted the act and the child – appears to be well balanced. The penal scale for the offence gross sexual abuse of a child also ought to be changed. Our proposal is that the minimum penalty for the offence be increased from imprisonment for six months to imprisonment for one year. The penalty for gross sexual abuse of a child will thus be imprisonment for at least one year and at most six years. The aim of this increase is to equalise threshold effects in respect of penal value between rape of a child and sexual abuse of a child. The offence sexual harassment The scope of the provision on sexual harassment (sexuellt ofredande, Chapter 6, Section 10 of the Penal Code) and its second paragraph, second phrase – acts where someone by word or deed harasses a person sexually – has in practice been narrowed, although the inten- tion was that the range of the criminalisation should basically be the same as before the Reform. With the aim of slightly extending the scope of sexual harass- ment by word or deed, we propose that the provision be amended. In order to be penalized, it is required that a person by word or deed harasses a person in a sexually violating way. For the objective assessment, the intention the perpetrator had with their deed should therefore be irrelevant. Acts where a person by word or deed harasses an unconscious or sleeping person sexually should be covered by the provision on sexual harassment contained in Chapter 6, Section 10, second para- graph. As regards sexual harassment of a child, we propose that the first paragraph of the provision on sexual harassment be extended so that will satisfy the requirements ensuing from on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. Moreover, for acts entailing a child being touched sexually or being induced to participate in an act with sexual implication – like the case with acts according to the second paragraph – a special sexual aim on the part of the perpe- trator is not required for a criminal act to, objectively viewed, have been committed. on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse During the years 2006 and 2007, prepared the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploi- tation and Sexual Abuse. signed the Convention in con- junction with it being opened for signature in October 2007. The aim of the Convention is to prevent and combat sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, to protect the rights of victims of offences and also to promote national and international coopera- tion in this issue. We have identified inadequacies in the Swedish legislation in relation to the requirements of Articles 18, 22, 25.4 and 33 of the Convention. In order for to satisfy the requirements of the Conven- tion, the amendment to Chapter 6, Section 1, second paragraph previously proposed by us should be implemented. Moreover, it is required that the offence sexual harassment, Chapter 6, Section 10, first paragraph of the Penal Code, be extended to explicitly cover acts where a child is, with a sexual aim, induced to witness a sexual act. It is also required that the offence exploitation of a child for sexual posing, an offence of normal level, Chapter 6, Section 8, first and second paragraphs of the Penal Code, as also the offence purchase of a sexual act by a child, Section 9, same Chapter and Code, be exempted from the requirement of double criminality. adequacy ought to be rectified through the offence being added to the list contained in Chapter 2, Section 2, fourth paragraph of the Penal Code. Moreover, it is required for accession that the statutory limita- tion period for the normal level of the offence exploitation of a child for sexual posing be extended. Our proposal is that this inadequacy be rectified by the offence being added to the list contained in Chapter 35, Section 4, second paragraph of the Penal Code. should ratify the Convention. We propose that the Government seeks the approval of the Riksdag concerning this matter. lag om ändring i Härigenom föreskrivs i fråga om dels att 6 kap. 3 § ska upphöra att gälla, dels att 2 kap. 2 §, 6 kap. 1, 4-6, 10 och 15 §§ samt 35 kap. 4 § ska ha följande lydelse, dels att det ska införas en ny paragraf, 6 kap. 3 §, av följande lyd- else. För brott som begåtts utom riket döms efter svensk lag och vid svensk domstol, om brottet begåtts 1.av svensk medborgare eller av utlänning med hemvist i , 2.av utlänning utan hemvist i , som efter brottet blivit svensk medborgare eller tagit hemvist här i riket eller som är dansk, finsk, isländsk eller norsk medborgare och finns här, eller 3.av annan utlänning som finns här i riket och på brottet enligt svensk lag kan följa fängelse . Första stycket gäller inte, om gärningen är fri från ansvar enligt lagen på gärningsorten eller om den begåtts inom område som inte tillhör någon stat och enligt svensk lag svårare straff än böter inte kan följa på gärningen.