A 38-year-old home care worker has been sentenced to four years in prison for raping a 100-year-old woman in her Stockholm home. Södertörns District Court classified the crime as rape of normal degree and ruled against deportation to Iraq due to the man's strong ties to Sweden. The verdict has sparked strong reactions from politicians and victim support organizations.
Shakir Mahmoud Shakir, 38, who worked in home care services, was sentenced by Södertörns District Court for raping a 100-year-old woman in her apartment in October. The incident occurred after Shakir was called to assist the woman. The court deemed the crime not gross, reasoning that it involved a limited sequence without additional violence or threats beyond the violation itself, and lacking humiliating elements.
Prosecutors Linn Nyberg and Caroline Stenbäck had sought a gross rape charge, citing Shakir's exploitation of his home care position and the woman's vulnerable situation. The woman stated in interrogation that the assault lasted about ten minutes while she screamed at him to stop. Nevertheless, Shakir received a four-year prison sentence but no deportation to his home country of Iraq, as the court found his ties to Sweden too strong.
Reactions have been sharp. Monica Ekström, chair of the Swedish Association for Victims' Rights (Boj), calls the verdict outrageous and questions why the woman's age and defenselessness did not carry more weight. She proposes investigating a new offense classification, 'elderly rape,' similar to protections for children under 15. Ekström notes that elderly people are often victimized by those in positions of dependency, such as home care staff.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) describes the crime as 'grotesque, atrocious, and disgusting' and the worst he has heard of in a long time. He criticizes legislation allowing such perpetrators to remain in Sweden and announces that the government is implementing tougher rules for deporting foreign nationals who commit crimes. Migration Minister Johan Forssell has already outlined changes, though Kristersson acknowledges the process takes time.
Elderly Minister Anna Tenje (M) emphasizes that municipalities bear heavy responsibility and often fail to report abuses against the elderly to police. According to Expressen's investigation, 398 rapes against women over 60 have been reported in Sweden since 2021, and criminologist Anders Östlund warns of a massive dark figure in elderly care.
