Act on Violence against Women (Government Bill 1997/98 55)

Brief Description

In 1998 a new offence, gross violation of a woman’s integrity, was introduced into the Penal Code. It deals with repeated punishable acts directed by men against women who have or have had a close relationship with the perpetrator. “Gross violation of a woman’s integrity” means that if a man commits certain criminal acts (assault, unlawful threat or coercion, sexual or other molestation, sexual exploitation, et cetera) against a woman to whom he is or has been married or with whom he is or has been cohabiting, he shall be sentenced for gross violation of the woman's integrity, instead of for each single offence he has committed. By means of Bill 1997/98 55, present rules concerning sexual harassment were strengthened. A new definition was inserted in the Act: "Sexual harassment means such unwanted conduct based on sex or unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, that violates the integrity of the employee in work."