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Violence and assault

Over the course of 2021, a total of 82,391 assault offences were reported, which constitutes a decrease of 1 per cent by comparison with the figure for 2020. In the Swedish Crime Survey, 2.8 per cent of the respondents stated that they had been exposed to assault in 2020.

Percentage exposed to assault

Self-reported victimisation due to assualt. Percentage. The results regarding victimisation in 2006–2015 have been recalculated as the Swedish Crime Survey was carried out using a different method in this period Source: SCS

The Swedish Crime Survey shows that the percentage of individuals who state that they were a victim of assault in 2020 is 2.8 percent of the population (aged 16–84). The level is lower than of 2019, when 3.6 percent were a victim of assault. The trend for the period 2006–2015 was one of a weak decline, albeit with some yearly variations, but the following period show a slightly increasing trend until this decrease in 2020.

Men (3.5%) state that they were victims of assault more often than women (2.2%) in 2020.

In terms of age, self-reported victimisation regarding assault was most common in the 16–19 age bracket (10.4% among men and 6.5% among women).

Serious assault

A proportion of 0.5 percent of the population (aged 16–84) state that they were a victim of serious assault in 2020, which in the SCS refers to assaults leading to injuries requiring medical treatment by a doctor, nurse or dentist. This is a decrease compared to the period 2016-2019 when the self-reported victimisation was 0.7 percent.

Men (0.7%) state that they were victims more often than women (0.3%) in 2020.

In terms of age, self-reported victimisation among men due to serious assault was most common in the 16–19 age bracket (1.5%) and in women, self-reported victimisation due to serious assault was most common in the 20–24 age bracket (0.8%).

Concern about assault

The percentage of people who state that they are concerned very often or quite often about being a victim of assault is 10 percent, which is a decrease compared to 2020 (12%). The proportion has remained the same with the exception for the temporary increase in 2020.

The percentage of people who are concerned about being a victim of assault is the same for men and women (10%).

The highest percentage is found among men aged 16–19 and 20–24 (12%), and among women aged 16–19 (17%).

Reported assault

Number of reported assault offences: all reported offences, of which against men/boys, against women/girls, and against children, 0 – 17 years of age. Source: Reported offences

Reported offences

Over the course of 2021, a total of 82,391 assault offences were reported, which constitutes a decrease of 1 per cent by comparison with the figure for 2020. A total of 29,257 assaults on women aged 18 years or over were reported which is unchanged by comparison with the figure for 2020. In addition, there were a total of 1,390 reported cases of gross violation of a woman’s integrity. The number of reported assaults against men aged 18 years or over amounted to 28,824 offences which was a decrease of 1 per cent since the previous year.

Cleared assault offences

Person-based clearance rate² for assault (including aggravated, not with a lethal outcome). Source: Processed offences

Processed offences

In 2021, 83,343 assault offences were processed¹, a 6 per cent decrease compared with the preceding year. An investigation was commenced for the majority of the processed offences (84%), while the other 16 per cent were dismissed with no investigation.

The person-based clearance rate² for assault offences in 2021 was 11 per cent.

The conviction rate for assault offences the same year was 13 per cent.

¹) The statistic for processed offences reports the number of reported offences where the police, public prosecutor, or other investigatory authority has taken a decision regarding the offence.

²) Person-based clearance means that a person suspected of the offence has been tied to the offence through an indictment, the issuance of a summary sanction order, or the issuance of a waiver of prosecution.

  • The person-based clearance rate reports the number of offences with person-based clearances during one year as a percentage of the number of processed offences during the same year. As from 2014, an adjusted person-based clearance rate is reported. The metric is essentially structured in the same way as previously, however, it is calculated based on all processed offences instead of all reported offences.
  • The conviction rate reports the number of person-based clearances during one year as a per cent of all investigated offences, excluding offences with limitations of investigation during the same period.