Ulrika Andersson
Professor
The Only Path to Justice : The Criminal Legal System and Defamation Judgments Related to #MeToo in Sweden
Författare
Summary, in English
This article presents a study of court judgments involving women who, in connection with #MeToo, identified alleged perpetrators of sexual violence in social media and were later prosecuted for and convicted of criminal defamation in Sweden. We conceptualise the use of social media to share experiences of sexual violence as an informal path to justice. First, we show that this is supported by how court judgments describe women’s reasons for sharing their information, such as telling their story and sharing it with others. Second, according to Swedish defamation law, a truth defence is allowed only if the defamatory statement is first considered to be justifiable, balancing between the defendant’s interest of freedom of speech and the complainant’s interest of honour and reputation. We show that an informal justice mechanism, such as speaking out on social media, is not a recognised defence against defamation claims. In effect, the criminal justice system emerges as the only path to justice for victims of sexual violence, simultaneously making perpetrators invisible and victims responsible for telling without naming.
Avdelning/ar
- Juridiska institutionen
- Jämställdshets- och likabehandlingskommittén (Juridik)
- Health Law
- Mänskliga rättigheter
- LU profilområde: Mänskliga rättigheter
- Rätt och utsatthet
- Genusvetenskapliga institutionen
Publiceringsår
2024-02-20
Språk
Engelska
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
Feminist Legal Studies
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
Springer
Ämne
- Law
Nyckelord
- sexual violence
- criminal justice
- defamation
- #metoo
- Sweden
- Straffrätt
- Sverige
Status
Inpress
Projekt
- The #metoo momentum and its aftermath:digital justice seeking and societal and legal responses
Forskningsgrupp
- Health Law
- Human Rights Law
- Law and Vulnerabilities
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 0966-3622