At a glance
Key figures — the most important numbers on this page
2025
10,014
Reported rapes (Brå)
2024 (peak)
10,167
Reported rapes (Brå)
Since 2013
+60 %
Brå's official reference
2025
≈ 95/100k
Per 100,000 inhabitants
NTU
≈ 6 %
Estimated reporting rate
1995–2018
3
Legal changes breaking the series
What does the data show?
Objective observations — not interpretations
- Long-term rise since the mid-1990s, but the series crosses three legal changes (2005, 2013, 2018).
- Recent years are not a straight rise — decline 2021–2023, rise in 2024 (+7 %), slight decline in 2025 (−2 %).
- Sweden ranks high internationally per capita. After Brå's comparability adjustment (against German counting rules) the gap shrinks sharply but does not disappear.
- Reporting statistics are a weak proxy for actual victimisation — NTU estimates only about 6 % of sexual offences are reported.
Definitions
How the numbers are counted — and what they do not cover
- Reported rape
- A police report of an offence under chapter 6 of the Swedish Penal Code. Each individual incident is counted as one reported offence, even if the same perpetrator and victim recur. A reported offence is not the same as a proven or convicted offence.
- Consent law (2018)
- Legislation that entered into force on 1 July 2018. The definition of rape was widened so that sexual intercourse with someone who did not participate voluntarily — or where consent was lacking — can also be classified as rape. Brå considers this to affect the reporting level.Source: Brå's analyses of the legal change's statistical effect.
- Expanded rape definition (2013)
- Reform of 1 July 2013 that replaced the requirement for violence or threat with a broader concept of exploitation of the victim's vulnerable position. Brå uses 2013 as the reference year for '+60 %'.Source: Brå 2024, Kriminalstatistik.
- Brå's comparability adjustment
- Brå has adjusted Swedish statistics in international comparisons against German counting rules (each repetition counted as one offence, rather than each incident). The adjustment shrinks the gap with neighbouring countries but does not eliminate it.Source: Brå methodological reports on international comparability.
- NTU — National Crime Survey
- Brå's annual self-report survey to about 200,000 people aged 16–84. It measures victimisation, fear and reporting propensity. The sexual offence question was reformulated in 2017, which breaks comparability across that year.
- Reporting propensity
- The probability that an actual offence leads to a police report. Affected by legal definition, public debate, trust in authorities and #MeToo-like campaigns. NTU estimates reporting propensity for sexual offences at around 6 %.The figure applies to all sexual offences, not only rape, and has a wide uncertainty interval.
- Sexual molestation
- Offence under chapter 6 § 10 of the Swedish Penal Code. An act of a sexual nature that violates a person's sexual integrity without meeting the threshold for rape or sexual assault — e.g. touching, indecent exposure or intrusive sexual words/acts. A separate offence category in Brå's statistics, distinct from rape.
- Sexual assault
- Umbrella category in Brå's statistics for sexual acts other than intercourse committed by force or against a person unable to defend themselves. Sexual assault against a child (ch. 6 § 6) is a separate, more serious offence and is often reported on its own.
- Attempt vs completed offence
- A completed offence means the act was carried out in full according to the criminal provision. Attempts are recorded separately but are included in the total volume of reports. Official statistics therefore label both 'completed' and 'including attempts' — the levels differ by a few per cent.
- Suspected person
- Person under investigation where the investigator considers there is reasonable suspicion. The number of suspects for sexual offences is far lower than the number of reported offences — a report can have an unknown perpetrator or be closed without any suspect.Source: Brå — Handled offences and Suspected persons.
- Convicted person
- Person convicted in court, who has accepted a penalty order or been given a waiver of prosecution. Only a small share of reported sexual offences leads to conviction — Brå's follow-ups show well under 10 % for reported rapes.Source: Brå — Persons found guilty, annual report.
- Victimisation (NTU)
- Share of people aged 16–84 who report in the NTU survey that they were subjected to a sexual offence in the past year. Victimisation is measured through self-report and is not the same as reported offences or suspected persons.The question was reformulated in 2017, which breaks comparability across that year.
How to read this
Data in context
How to read this
The charts below show what the numbers say — not an interpretation. Where data point in different directions (e.g. stable trust but rising insecurity) we show both series rather than pick a narrative.
- 2005*Lagändring — sexualbrottsreformen 1 apr 2005
- 2013*Lagändring — utvidgad våldtäktsdefinition 1 juli 2013 (Brås referensår för '+60 %')
- 2018*Samtyckeslagen 1 juli 2018
- 2024*+7 % mot 2023
- 2025*−2 % mot 2024
How to read this chart
Definition
Reported rapes under chapter 6 of the Swedish penal code. From 2018 the series includes cases lacking consent (the 2018 consent law). Data follows Brå's final statistics published April 2026.
Method
Absolute annual values from Brå's official publication. Per 100,000 inhabitants = reports divided by SCB population as of 31 December. Legal changes in 2005, 2013 and 2018 are marked in the chart.
What the chart shows
- The level in 1995 (~1,700) and 2025 (~10,000)
- Impact of the 2005 reform (~2,000 → 3,800)
- Brå's 2013 reference point = +60 % to 2025
- Short-term variation 2021–2025
Limitations
- The series measures REPORTED offences, not actual victimisation.
- The definition has been broadened three times — 30-year comparisons are not the same offence.
- Reporting propensity is influenced by public debate (e.g. #MeToo in 2017).
- Each incident is counted separately in Sweden — several EU countries bundle repeated assaults into a single offence.
Where research shows strong associations, they are cited. Where the evidence is uncertain or contested, this is stated. The page draws no causal conclusion beyond what the data supports.
The Nordics — same metric
Anmälda våldtäkter per 100 000 invånare — Sverige vs Norge, Danmark, Finland. Sverige 2024 ≈ 96/100k (10 167 anmälningar ÷ 10,55 mn). Direkt jämförelse begränsas av definitions- och registreringsskillnader (se metod).
2010–2024 · /100k · Norden
| År | Norge | Danmark | Finland | Sverige |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 010 | 24 | 14 | 20 | 56 |
| 2 015 | 33 | 16 | 22 | 67 |
| 2 020 | 41 | 23 | 26 | 90 |
| 2 024 | 45 | 28 | 28 | 96 |
Source:
How to read this chart
Definition
Reported rapes per 100,000 inhabitants, Sweden vs Norway, Denmark, Finland.
Method
National agency series (Brå, SSB, DST, Tilastokeskus) divided by population as of 31 December.
What the chart shows
- Sweden is several times higher than the rest of the Nordics.
- Part of the gap disappears when adjusted to a comparable basis.
- The gap does NOT disappear entirely — Sweden remains high even after adjustment.
Limitations
- Norway and Denmark use narrower legal definitions.
- Registration: Sweden = each incident separately, versus bundled registration in some countries.
- Reporting culture and trust in authorities differ between countries.
Where research shows strong associations, they are cited. Where the evidence is uncertain or contested, this is stated. The page draws no causal conclusion beyond what the data supports.
Human consequence
Persona
A 25-year-old woman in a mid-sized Swedish city.
Then
- Walked alone to her car after a late shift.
- Took the bus home from a concert without thinking about seating.
- Let her daughter walk to swim class alone in summer.
Now
- Takes Uber for the last stretch, even in daylight.
- Sits near the driver and next to another woman.
- Walks her daughter to and from every activity.
How does it look in your municipality?
Reported rapes are broken down by municipality in Brå's statistics. Open the municipality tool to see level and trend in your area.
Dataset
Brå — reported rapes 1995–2025 (Sweden)
- N:
- 11 observations
- Last updated:
- 2026-04
Final statistics for 2024/2025 published by Brå in April 2026.
Primary sources
Agencies and research institutions behind this page
5
agencies/institutions
3
reports & studies
4
primary datasets
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to what is most often discussed
Related topics
Logical next steps if you want to understand the background
2035
Why is Sweden's reported rate several times higher than the rest of the Nordics?
Part of the gap is explained by the broader definition and by counting each incident separately (Brå's European comparability study). After Brå's adjustment the gap shrinks sharply but does not disappear — Sweden remains high even on a comparable basis.
Sources for this page
The data comes from official primary sources.
Brå · Annually
Anmälda brottAnmälda brott
Latest data point · Source published
Brå · Annually
Nationella trygghetsundersökningen (NTU)NTU — utsatthet och otrygghet
Latest data point · Source published
Read the full investigation of how Sweden has changed.
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