Stockholm police don't warn of sexual assault "may play into the hand of Swedish Democrats".

[Mister Emu]

"There are groups of guys who are deliberately focusing on surrounding and molesting girls"

"According to Peter Ågren, who was heading the police operation this summer, one explanation as to why they did not talk more openly about this may be because the young men who were accused of harassing the girls, were mainly said to have foreign backgrounds. "Some times we do not really say how things are because we believe it may play into the hands of the Sweden Democrats,":
https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6342236

Why is the safety of women a political chess piece to the left of Europe? What will make them change?

 

[4consideration]

To refuse to admit what is so, and/or to refuse to take action against the perpetrators -- for any reason -- is a dereliction of duty and a betrayal of the public trust. The police and the community at large have a duty to protect these girls. Period. The way I see it, when a community will not protect its most vulnerable, no one is safe.

edit: To address the questions in the OP, I think it is unconscionable for the safety of women to be a political chess piece. It does appear that may be the case. I won't defend it. I think it's awful.

I don't know what it will take. With the news stories surfacing now, and hearing this has been going on for about 2 years, I sure hope this is all they need to finally address the problem up front, and be honest about what has been happening so far. One can't come up with a workable solution to a problem one won't accurately identify.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

To refuse to admit what is so, and/or to refuse to take action against the perpetrators -- for any reason -- is a dereliction of duty and a betrayal of the public trust. The police and the community at large have a duty to protect these girls. Period. The way I see it, when a community will not protect its most vulnerable, no one is safe.

Especially at such events. It's a given that some immigrants will be problematic, but it seems they are dealing with a group that has organized for criminal activity. And it is also sad that such things are heavily inflated by anti-immigration groups, who want to denounce an entire community that doesn't approve of the actions either. And then you have some who find facts offensive, as if pointing out that the perpetrators are of "foreign origin" is saying all foreigners who share that origin are just as guilty. It sucks that everything anymore is a hyper-politicized issue.

 

[4consideration]

Especially at such events. It's a given that some immigrants will be problematic, but it seems they are dealing with a group that has organized for criminal activity. And it is also sad that such things are heavily inflated by anti-immigration groups, who want to denounce an entire community that doesn't approve of the actions either. And then you have some who find facts offensive, as if pointing out that the perpetrators are of "foreign origin" is saying all foreigners who share that origin are just as guilty. It sucks that everything anymore is a hyper-politicized issue.

I agree.

It makes my blood boil to read this has happened for 2 years -- at a youth rally,(edit, add: festival) something organized for young people -- and the police, and larger community did not give these girls and their families notice of these things happening, and having the appearance of being organized. They should have been warned after the first time that it happened.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It makes my blood boil to read this has happened for 2 years -- at a youth rally, something organized for young people -- and the police, and larger community did not give these girls and their families notice of these things happening, and having the appearance of being organized. They should have been warned after the first time that it happened.

They should have been able to read of the group being at least mostly arrested and facing criminal charges in the newspapers after it happened the first time.

 

[prometheus11]

"There are groups of guys who are deliberately focusing on surrounding and molesting girls"

"According to Peter Ågren, who was heading the police operation this summer, one explanation as to why they did not talk more openly about this may be because the young men who were accused of harassing the girls, were mainly said to have foreign backgrounds. "Some times we do not really say how things are because we believe it may play into the hands of the Sweden Democrats,":
https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6342236

Why is the safety of women a political chess piece to the left of Europe? What will make them change?

Good move. Had they issued any earnings, it would have been labeled "victim blaming."

 

[freethinker44]

I agree.

It makes my blood boil to read this has happened for 2 years -- at a youth rally,(edit, add: festival) something organized for young people -- and the police, and larger community did not give these girls and their families notice of these things happening, and having the appearance of being organized. They should have been warned after the first time that it happened.

Nope, warning women they might get raped is victim blaming.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

 

[prometheus11]

They could post the facts in a news blotter. They could not give any advice on what anyone should do to avoid being raped. Obviously.

 

[4consideration]

Nope, warning women they might get raped is victim blaming.

Nope.

Failing to notify the public of something that occurred and having it occur a second time, when it was not brought to light the first time, is negligence -- IMO.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

They could post the facts in a news blotter. They could not give any advice on what anyone should do to avoid being raped. Obviously.

You clearly failed to grasp the point of how repeating things that every woman knows, by heart, is displacing fault from the attacker to the victim, and that it does nothing to address the problem, especially when this happens after an attack.

 

[prometheus11]

You clearly failed to grasp the point of how repeating things that every woman knows, by heart, is displacing fault from the attacker to the victim, and that it does nothing to address the problem, especially when this happens after an attack.

You clearly failed to grasp the point that the mayor was responding to a reprter's question by referring to a preexisting document AND she was talking about instances that MIGHT occur. Giving advice to citizens for future possible crimes is NOT victim blaming.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

You clearly failed to grasp the point that the mayor was responding to a reprter's question by referring to a preexisting document AND she was talking about instances that MIGHT occur. Giving advice to citizens for future possible crimes is NOT victim blaming.

It's not addressing the problem, it isn't offering a solution, it isn't even acknowledging facts - all it's saying is it's all up to women to live up to what they are told, over and over again, and they won't be raped.

 

[prometheus11]

It's not addressing the problem, it isn't offering a solution, it isn't even acknowledging facts - all it's saying is it's all up to women to live up to what they are told, over and over again, and they won't be raped.

I have no idea what you mean by "it."

 

[freethinker44]

It's not addressing the problem, it isn't offering a solution, it isn't even acknowledging facts - all it's saying is it's all up to women to live up to what they are told, over and over again, and they won't be raped.

You know they can do both things, right?
They can warn of the likelihood of a crime AND work to stop the crime at the same time.

 

[Jumi]

The tactic of hiding such abuse in the information age was a time bomb. Even with just a bit of thinking they should have known it would blow up worse than if they worked to defuse it. And now people who warned others about the bomb are suddenly gaining favor.

The chain reaction has gone of now in multiple countries.

I predict we'll see many other such things(not relating to immigration) come up in the follow up as people start talking and investigating what else is there. It's a pending catastrophe for many parties in power who just can't think of the people ahead of short PR disasters.