A new report from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) reveals a sharp increase in knife violence in Sweden. Since 2010, the number of deaths has risen by 30 percent. Young men are over-represented among the victims, but the violence affects people of all ages and genders.
The number of people injured in knife attacks has increased by 50 percent since 2010, and the number of deaths has increased by 30 percent over the same period.
In 2022, 32 deaths were reported in Sweden as a result of knife violence, while 831 people sought treatment for injuries related to knife attacks.
– The National Security Survey shows that the number of knife-related crimes – such as assaults, robberies and threats – has increased during this period. The number of reported crimes against the knife law has also increased, says investigator Johanna Olseryd.
“Not a specific youth problem”
The study shows that young men are disproportionately affected, but knife violence affects both men and women of all ages. Seven out of ten victims of lethal knife violence are men, and the most vulnerable group are men aged 20-29. When women are affected, they tend to be slightly older, between about 30 and 49 years of age.
– Although young people are more vulnerable, knife violence is not a specific youth problem. We see that the average age of those injured is older than it used to be. Nor are there more young people today than ten years ago who say they have carried a knife in the past year, adds Johanna Olseryd.
While attention has been focused on firearm violence in recent years, for obvious reasons, the increase in knife violence has not received the attention it deserves.
Brå’s study, which covers the period from 2010 to 2022, shows a marked increase in the number of injuries. The number of deaths reaches a clear peak in 2020, but the statistics show a slight decrease since then. Brå’s own statistics from the mid-1970s to 2006 also generally show a sharp increase in reported violent crime in Sweden.
