​Today we are doing two terms in one. This is because they are closely related and often used to mean the same thing. Utsatt område means ‘vulnerable area’, and utanförskapsområde means ‘areas of alienation’. 

Utanförskap is the state of being on the outside of society, to not be included.

Utanförskapsområde is a term tied to the economic state of many Swedish suburbs, the areas commonly referred to as förorten, which we have previously covered. These areas are generally what is meant when someone uses the term utanförskapsområde, and this is due to there being a high number of poor, unemployed people living in these areas, and that the areas suffer from crime problems. The related term socioekonomiskt utanförskap, ‘socio-economic alienation’, is also very common to describe the situation for many living in these areas. 

Utanförskapsområde is not an official term with a legal definition, but it is sometimes used to refer to the so called LUA-områden, ‘LUA areas’, that is lokalt utvecklingsavtal, ‘local development agreement’. These were delineated as part of an agreement between the government and a number of municipalities between 2008 and 2011, which saw them given extra resources in order to reduce unemployment and crime. 

Utsatt område is a term used by the Swedish police since 2015 to designate certain areas that are of particular concern. The term is used with the two additional terms riskområde, ‘risk area’, and särskilt utsatt område, ‘especially vulnerable area’. Every year the police publish a list with the different areas considered to be in each category. 

Särskilt utsatt område is the most severe of the three and is characterized by a general reluctance to participate in the legal process, possibly due to systematic threats and acts of violence against witnesses, plaintiffs and whistleblowers in the area. It is difficult or almost impossible for the police to complete their mission.

There are parallel social structures, extremism – such as systematic violations of religious freedom or strong fundamentalist influence that limits people’s freedoms and rights, with people who travel away to participate in combat in conflict areas. And finally, a high concentration of criminals. This situation is considered urgent. 

An utsatt område is an area with a low socio-economic status where criminals have an influence over the local community. More tied to the social context in the area than the outright desire of the criminals to take power and control of the local community, this influence can consist of direct pressure, for example through threats and blackmail, or indirect, such as public acts of violence that risk harming third parties, drug trafficking that is conducted openly, and an outwardly violent dissatisfaction with society. The effect is that the residents of the area experience insecurity, which in turn leads to a reduced inclination to report crimes and participate in the legal process. The situation is considered serious.

And finally the term riskområde is used to describe areas at risk of going from utsatt område to särskilt utsatt område.

These definitions are provided by the police, but have been translated and reformatted from list to paragraph format. 

Utanförskapsområde and utsatta områden are often used interchangeably, but when used by officials it is important to note that utsatta områden is also a term used by the police, with a particular definition.

Just a word of caution, if you are not already, you should be aware that there is an ongoing and very heated debate regarding what to do about the situation in these areas. If you ask around you might find that many are very upset about the situation, so find the right time for a discussion about the issues with your Swedish friends, it is not exactly a topic that makes for a pleasant dinner conversation. Best of luck!

Example sentences:

Vad tycker du att man ska göra med situationen i utsatta områden?

What do you think should be done about the situation in vulnerable areas?

Finns det utanförskapsområden i Sverige?

There are socially disadvantaged areas in Sweden?

Villa, Volvo, Vovve: The Local’s Word Guide to Swedish Life, written by The Local’s journalists, is now available to order. Head to lysforlag.com/vvv to read more about it. It is also possible to buy your copy from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Bokus or Adlibris.