Sub-goal 6: Men's violence against women must end

The aim is to end men’s violence against women, intimate partner violence, and exploitation in prostitution and human trafficking. Everyone, regardless of gender, should have the same rights and opportunities throughout their lives to bodily and psychological integrity.

Why is it important to tackle violence before it occurs? 

Violence is a major social and public health problem. It involves serious and widespread crime that causes profound human suffering. Violence is an expression of an unequal society in which not everyone has the same opportunities to live a life free from violence.

A common feature of all forms of violence covered by this sub-goal is the large extent of hidden violence. Much of the violence never comes to light or is reported to the police. However, violence comes at a significant cost to society, in addition to the suffering experienced by individuals. Efforts to combat men’s violence against women, intimate partner violence, prostitution and human trafficking need to be sustainable and long-term.

Men’s violence against women is rooted in inequality and is the ultimate consequence of the imbalance of power between women and men. One starting point for ending violence is therefore to address norms and structures relating to power and gender.

The extent of violence

Men and boys account for the majority of perpetrators of violence

Regardless of whether a woman or a man is subjected to violence, the perpetrator is most often a man. However, women’s and men’s exposure to violence differs. Women are more often subjected to violence in the home or by a current or former partner, while men are more often subjected to violence in public places and by someone they do not know or by an acquaintance.

Men who perpetrate violence are found in all groups in society. Examples of risk factors include stereotypical norms surrounding masculinity and negative attitudes towards gender equality. Young men are overrepresented, both among perpetrators and victims of violence.

Girls and young women are most exposed to intimate partner violence

Girls and young women are also the most exposed to sexual harassment at school, sexual harassment in the workplace, and sexual offences in general. Certain life circumstances and living conditions can make individual women and girls particularly vulnerable to violence. Examples include women with disabilities and women experiencing substance abuse. Older women’s exposure to violence is rarely recognised.

Men are also subjected to intimate partner violence. The most common form is psychological violence, but physical and sexual violence also occur. Harmful norms about how a “real” man should be and behave mean that many boys and men do not seek help when subjected to violence. These norms also mean that social services, the police and others sometimes fail to detect the violence.

Other groups at risk of being subjected to violence include children and young people living with mental ill health or a neurodevelopmental disability. This also applies to children and young people in care, and young LGBTQI people. In recent years, it has also become apparent that groups at risk of sexual exploitation include unaccompanied children and young people.

More women than men die as a result of intimate partner violence

Lethal violence in intimate partner relationships has declined somewhat over time, but this does not apply to girls and young women, for whom the statistics have remained unchanged for almost three decades. Lethal intimate partner violence among young people affects almost exclusively girls and young women.

To make lethal violence against women more visible, public authorities are increasingly using the term femicide, that is, the murder of women, to describe cases in which women and girls are killed because of their gender. The term encompasses lethal intimate partner violence, honour-related lethal violence, and other lethal violence against women and girls where gender is a determining factor.

Prostitution and human trafficking

Prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes, as well as the sexual exploitation of children, are included within men’s violence against women and occur in many forms. Girls and women, as well as boys and men, are subjected to these crimes. The perpetrators are most often men.

Street prostitution has declined. The most common way of making contact is now online. The number of websites advertising the sale of sexual services has increased. Many websites have significantly professionalised the way they communicate. As exposure and accessibility on digital platforms increase, so too does the risk of young people being exploited and subjected to prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes. So-called sugar-dating websites also attract younger people with no previous experience of prostitution.

The need for greater knowledge, methods and support

In several areas, including prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes and the sexual exploitation of children, there is a lack of knowledge and methods for identifying people who have been subjected to violence.

Many of Sweden’s municipalities have established basic structures for work to combat men’s violence against women, and more public authorities and employers are working to detect violence. However, serious shortcomings and major differences remain across the country, particularly in the support and protection provided to people subjected to violence. This means that both those subjected to violence and those who perpetrate violence risk not being offered appropriate support and treatment. There are also shortcomings in coordination and follow-up among public authorities at several levels.

National strategy for the sixth sub-goal

Work towards the sixth sub-goal is carried out in accordance with a ten-year (2026–2035) national strategy for freedom from violence, oppression and exploitation. The strategy also includes the seventh sub-goal: ending honour-related violence and oppression.

The work will focus particularly on five strategic areas:

1. Violence prevention – strengthened efforts with a particular focus on children and young people.
2. Detection of violence and proactive efforts to respond to violence, oppression and exploitation.
3. Support and protection for people subjected to violence – improved access and greater equality across the country.
4. Law enforcement – increased operational capacity to effectively prevent, investigate and prosecute offences.
5. Preventing reoffending – development work that reaches more people.

Challenges in the area of men's violence against women

Through our work, the Swedish Gender Equality Agency has identified a number of areas for development if Sweden is to achieve the goal of ending men’s violence against women. These are:

• develop structured cooperation between relevant public authorities and other actors
• place greater emphasis on preventing men’s violence against women at an early stage and invest in identifying people subjected to violence and perpetrators
• combat crime more effectively and prioritise men’s violence against women in the same way as efforts to combat gang crime
• managers in the public sector need to prioritise the issue and create the conditions for high-quality, long-term work within their respective organisations
• municipalities need support from public authorities that is adapted to local circumstances
• strengthen the child-rights perspective in disputes concerning custody, residence and contact. Children must always receive the protection and support to which they are entitled
• make visible groups in particularly vulnerable situations, such as people with disabilities who have been subjected to violence, and their need and right to support and protection.