Rosanna, 34, has reported around 20 sexual crimes and faces distrust and hate online. She insists all incidents are real, citing her industry's harsh environment. False reports are rare, while repeated victimization is common.
Rosanna, 34, has been the complainant in about 20 police reports of sexual assaults. After Expressen published her story under the pseudonym Felicia, it sparked a hate storm on online forums like Flashback. Users question her credibility, with comments like '90% of rape reports are false' and 'No one believes Felicia was raped nine times in the last two years.'
Despite this, false rape reports are uncommon. An estimate from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) from 2006 puts it at two percent. An international study at a U.S. university found 5.9 percent false reports over ten years, leading to an overall estimate of 2–10 percent. In Sweden, around 10,000 rapes are reported annually, but Brå estimates the actual number is ten times higher. Many crimes go unreported due to the process, including gynecological exams and court proceedings.
Repeated victimization, known as revictimization, is common, however. Anna Möller, chief physician at Södersjukhuset's emergency unit for rape victims, says many patients return multiple times during the unit's 20 years of operation. Causes include prior traumas and neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism, which increase vulnerability through poorer impulse control and risk awareness. 'It's important not to discuss it in a blameful way toward the victim,' she says.
In one case, Rosanna reported her colleague Johan for rape. He denies the crime but wrote in messages that he 'should have realized he committed an assault.' The men generally deny the allegations, with cases described as 'word against word.' A review by Swedish Radio shows about 30 people have been convicted for false accusations in the last five years, emphasizing that such cases must be addressed without undermining genuine reports.
Rosanna comments: 'I think those who work in offices have trouble imagining the work environment in my industry. You live in another world.'