A new report has revealed that sex attacks at Swedish festivals have increased as much as 1000 percent in 2016, a trend which does not appear to be changing.
Non-profit organisation The Night Shift say they have documented over a hundred cases of sexual molestation, and that the numbers continue to rise Expressen reports. Over the past year, Sweden has seen a dramatic increase in the number of sex attacks at open air festivals and amusement parks across the country.
Grona Lund, an amusement park in Stockholm, was the scene of one sex attack last year, but so far this year there have been at least four according to security manager Fredrik Gemzell. The park, which has only been open since April, is one of the busiest in the country.
“All cases are reported to the police. It is young teenage girls who have been victims,” said Gemzell adding, “We have our own security centre, where visitors can call. In addition, we have a security team which patrols the park. It is good that the police reported. It’s an incredible, totally unacceptable behaviour.”
In reaction to the many sex attacks over the last year, Lisen Andréasson Florman formed the Night Shift, an NGO designed to help put pressure on festival organisers to prevent future sex attacks.
Despite some festival organisers listening to the complaints and increasing their security, festivals like We are Sthlm still saw 50 sexual assault incidents.
17-year-old Alexandra Larsson was a victim of a sex attack at the Putte i Parken in Karlstad last year. “First, someone touched me on the butt a few times. I turned around and inquired who had done it, but got no answer,” Larrson said.
“This was repeated several times. Finally, someone took me on the genitals. Then I got angry and turned around and shouted, ‘Whoever it was, you are an idiot!'”
Larrson was one of 32 young girls who was sexually attacked at the festival according to reports. The youngest was only 12-years-old.
Many of the men who have committed sex attacks at the various festivals were described as having a “foreign origin.”
At the Bravalla Festival in Norrkoping another girl, only 15, claimed that foreign men had sexually attacked her and her five friends.
Official data from the Swedish government has shown that over the last two years sexual assaults have risen by a massive 70 percent nationwide. Between 13 and 14 percent of women now say they won’t venture out alone at night due to fears they may become victims of an attack.