A former employee of the Stockholm branch of the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Rights (RFSL) has been charged over allegations he raped male asylum seekers.
Prosecutors say the suspect forced several asylum seekers between the ages of 26 to 28 to engage in sexual activity in 2019. He currently faces six counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault.
Prosecutor Paulina Pilati of the City Prosecutor’s Office in Stockholm stated that the man preyed on the vulnerability of the asylum seekers who came to him for advice on how to remain in the country and avoid deportation, broadcaster SVT reports.
“They have sought him out for help and advice in their asylum process or in their right to stay in Sweden. The key question in the court’s review is whether the men have been in a particularly vulnerable situation, which I think they have been,” Pilati said.
“They have understood that they have to have sex with him to get help to stay in Sweden. The plaintiffs have not participated voluntarily,” the prosecutor added.
Last month, the Stockholm branch of the RFSL admitted they had known about the allegations of rape and sexual assault for months before the incidents were reported to the police.
Jacob Tardell, chairman of RFSL Stockholm, claimed that no police report was made because an illegal migrant victim did not want to report the assault at the time.
The incident is just the latest case in which an activist or volunteer helping migrants has been accused of sexual abuse.
According to a 2018 report from the UK Commons international development committee, sexual abuse is “endemic” across the international aid sector and accused NGOs of ignoring the problem or being complicit in it.
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