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LEGISLATION

New Swedish laws target sex videos and CCTV

The slew of new laws that came into effect on Monday runs the gamut from outlawing sex-pest filming to the final nail in the coffin for Sweden's controversial transsexual sterilization law, a relic of the country's past eugenics programme.

New Swedish laws target sex videos and CCTV

On Monday the Dagens Nyheter (DN) published its bi-annual pick of “New laws to look out for” – as Swedish legislation usually comes into effect either on New Year’s Day or on July 1st.

Here is a run down of six of the most important new laws.

Sex-Pest Control

Sweden’s Justice Minister Beatrice Ask has finally pushed through her ban on filming and photographing a person with the intent of violating their privacy. In layman’s terms, while the violation does not need to be sexual in character, the law can be used to tackle sex-pests who film people when they aren’t aware of being filmed.

READ ALSO: Government set to ban ‘secret photography’

CCTV

Filming for security purposes, however, was made easier on Monday. While CCTV cameras still cannot be put up without acquiring a licence, the new law will grant more permits for cameras to be mounted in, for example, public transport, car parks, and stores.

READ ALSO: Swedish store slammed for putting CCTV ‘thief’ pic on Facebook

Stricter Stalking Sentencing

For victims of stalking, meanwhile, courts will now be able to sentence offenders to nine months instead of six months in jail.

READ ALSO: New stalking law prompts flood of reports: study

Rape Rewrite

Sex-crime legislation saw a rewrite of the term “incapacitated state” to “especially vulnerable situation”, which will in effect rebrand certain types of sexual coercion to rape.

READ ALSO: Forced ‘infidelity check’ is rape: Supreme Court

Sterilization Scrapped

Transsexual Swedes can from now on change their gender on paper without being sterilized first.

READ ALSO: Sterilized transsexuals sue Swedish government

Education Expansion

Children of families who do not have the legal right to stay in Sweden will be offered free education up to and including upper secondary school (gymnasium).

READ ALSO: Kids of illegal immigrants can go to school: Sweden

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