Sweden Passes New Sexual Consent Law

Sweden passed a new sexual consent law, going into effect on July 1, that makes explicit consent pivotal in sex crime cases, according to The Local.

With the change, it is now illegal in Sweden to have sex with someone who is not voluntarily participating, meaning the participants must verbally agree or clearly demonstrate that they want to engage in the sexual activity. Passive engagement in the act is no longer considered consent.

“When assessing if participation is voluntary or not, particular attention should be paid to whether willingness has been expressed through words, acts, or in another way,” the law states.

Sweden is now the 10th European country to recognize sex without explicit consent as rape, shifting away from the previous law that stated the use of force, threats, or taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable situation was the determining factor in convictions.

The law also included increased penalties for sexual abuse convictions as well as implemented more protections for minors.

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