This confirms my view that the greatest threat to freedom in Swedish society is spelled "clan," says Minister for Education and Integration Simona Mohamsson (L).
Investigator Mathias Wahlsten has been commissioned by the government to map and analyse parallel social structures. His conclusion is that they constitute a “complex societal challenge.”
However, the investigation has had difficulty determining how widespread parallel social structures are and whether the problem is increasing or decreasing.
What I can say is the problem has become increasingly clear, says Wahlsten.
Half a million
The investigation has included figures from the police showing that 480,000 people live in areas where there are problems with parallel justice between criminals and residents.
Other examples of alternative social systems are informal housing agencies, for example where a family takes over a property and distributes apartments within the family, mediation activities between residents and patronage activities.
According to police figures, 175,000 people live in areas that have problems with all four examples of alternative social systems.
Ultimately, it's about people's ability to live free and independent lives, says Wahlsten.
Different groups
According to him, the most important result of the investigation is that it points to what constitutes a breeding ground for parallel social structures. These include patriarchal norms, honour norms, low trust in society and segregation.
Criminal kin-based networks are just one grouping that can create parallel social structures. Wahlsten emphasizes that it can also be about clans and families that exercise strong social control without engaging in criminal activity.
The investigator mentions a wide range of different proposals for how society should counteract parallel social structures. He emphasizes society's obligation to stand up for fundamental democratic values.
A child should not have to experience that rights that other children have do not apply to him or her due to the demands of the environment or family, says Wahlsten.
Society must have the courage to stand up for these rights.
The government will now prepare the proposals, but Mohamsson says that there is much on the list that she is prepared to back today.
