“All crime within the walls is a failure,” says Cecilia Gyllensten Serbán, acting head of the security department, in a press release.
The report covers 87 documented cases between 2017 and 2026 and finds an increase, especially in 2026.
Double occupancy was involved in 21 of the cases, or almost a quarter. According to the Swedish Prison and Probation Service’s analysis, double occupancy does not in itself mean an increased risk of sexual assault. At the same time, the agency points to examples that illustrate “the special vulnerability that can arise from double occupancy.”
“It is something that is important to take into account when assessing risk and vulnerability and matching inmates who are eligible for double occupancy,” says Gyllensten Serbán.
She points to several areas for improvement:
"There is a need for a more cross-agency approach to prevention, risk assessment, management and follow-up".
Sexual harassment is said to be the main reason for the increase, but there have also been other types of sexual abuse and serious sexual assaults.
According to Arbetet, which has examined a number of cases in which prisoners were abused by their cellmates, overcrowding has meant that the majority of Sweden’s prisoners now share cells.
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