During 2024, 92 cases of deadly violence were reported, which was 29 cases fewer than in 2023.
"In 2024, deadly violence decreased significantly compared to 2023. When comparing between years, one should consider that 2023 was a year when an unusually high number of women and minors fell victim to deadly violence compared to previous years," says Jan Lundbeck, statistician at the Swedish Crime Prevention Council (Brå), in a press release.
The decrease applies to both female and male victims. In 23 cases, the victim was a woman, which is 10 cases fewer than in 2023. In the remaining 69 cases, the victim was a man, 19 cases fewer than in 2023.
"Change is possible"
"The fact that deadly violence has decreased significantly, and that the number of cases last year was the lowest in ten years, shows that change is possible. At the same time, we still have violence levels that no decent society can accept," says Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) in a comment to TT.
He highlights the fact that the number of women murdered by someone they were in a relationship with increased from ten people in 2023 to eleven people last year.
"The conclusion is clear: we cannot slow down, neither when it comes to pushing back organized crime nor in the work to combat men's violence against women," says Gunnar Strömmer.
Fewer young people were killed
The number of victims under 18 years old decreased. Last year, the figure was ten cases, seven cases fewer than in 2023.
According to Brå, firearms are still the most common method of violence and were used in 45 cases of deadly violence last year. After firearms, knives and other piercing or cutting objects are the most common method.
Both methods have decreased, but knives as a method of violence have decreased the most. Last year, the method was used in 25 cases, which is 16 cases fewer than in 2023.
In this year's report from Brå, statistics on deadly violence where victims and perpetrators were, or had been, related in family or kinship are also presented. There, the number of cases last year amounted to 14, which was one case fewer than in 2023.
