Researchers from the five Scandinavian countries presents new scientific findings about rape in the book “Rape in the Nordic countries – continuity and change”.
The anthology “Rape in the Nordic countries – continuity and change” (taylorfrancis.com) was released in October 2019. The book is a cooperation between researchers from the five Scandinavian countries, and it presents several new findings and original research contributions.
Several researchers from the Norwegian Social Research institute NOVA (oslomet.no) at OsloMet contributes to the book, among them are Kari Stefansen, Lars Roar Frøyland, Mette Løvgren and Monika Grønli Rosten
“We are very content because the book contains contributions from all the Nordic countries. Even though sexual violence is a growing research field internationally, there has been little research from these countries”, says researcher Kari Stefansen.
Stefansen is one of the editors of the book, together with May-Len Skilbrei from the University of Oslo, and Marie Bruvik Heinskou, from the University of Copenhagen. Stefansen is also the leader of The Domestic Violence Research Programme at NOVA.
Even though sexual violence is a growing research field internationally, there has been little research from the Nordic countries.
International differences
While the Nordic countries are listed at the top in most international rankings of gender equality and citizens’ feelings of security, studies on the prevalence of sexual victimization suggests that the very countries that have invested much in establishing gender equality actually see a high prevalence of sexual violence.
“Most of the literature about rape is on a national level, and most of the research is conducted in the United States or in England. It is not a given that the international research fits the Nordic context,” Stefansen explains.
She describes “Rape in the Nordic countries – continuity and change” as an
interdisciplinary book about rape. The book sheds light on the phenomenon and construction of rape and other forms of sexual violence, exploring the ways in which it is dealt with through criminal law and governmental policies.
From BDSM to digital sexual violence
The book is thematically organized in four parts, and offers new research on perpetrators, victimhood, criminal justice and prevention. The topics of the thematic discussion is about consent, power, sexual ethics, boundary setting and constructions of victimhood and perpetrators.
It is not a given that the international research about rape fits the Nordic context.
The chapters are, among other things, about the distinction between consent and coercion in a BDSM-setting, sexual liberation within the frames of marriage and digital sexual violence. One of Stefansens’ chapters is about the grey areas in sexual violation.
“We hope that the book or parts of the book will be used in teaching. I think some of the themes, like digital sexual violence, can be an important contribution to the syllabus in some disciplines,” says Stefansen.
The book is available online for everyone to download.
References
Bruvik Heinskou, M. (Red.), Skilbrei, M.L. (Red.), Stefansen, K. (Red.). (2020). Rape in the Nordic Countries. London: Routledge, https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429467608 (taylorfrancis.com)