Following ChildX’s demands: Government to review the law that sexualizes children

A comprehensive inquiry will now review Sweden’s protection against sexual exploitation of children in the child sexual abuse material legislation. For us, this announcement is an important victory after several years of work to ensure that all children have equal criminal law protection.

The government is now establishing a comprehensive inquiry that includes a review of the child sexual abuse material legislation. In the directive from the government, the investigator shall review all of ChildX’s demands: the protection for children who have gone through puberty, whether the perpetrator’s knowledge of the child’s age should be a circumstance affecting criminal liability, and take a position on whether the offense designation child pornography should be replaced with language that better describes sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

For ChildX, today’s announcement is the result of long-term work where the organization, together with other actors in civil society, has pointed out concrete shortcomings and demanded change.

– We have fought for this since ChildX started. That’s why it feels significant to see that issues we have raised for a long time are now actually becoming the subject of a government inquiry. But our work is not over. An inquiry is an important step – now we will follow the work closely and continue to push for it to lead to real change for children , says Ida Östensson.

We also welcome the government’s recognition of ChildX and civil society’s role in the work to strengthen children’s protection.

– There is great commitment to these issues. And several actors in civil society – not least ChildX – have for a long time pushed for change and worked purposefully to strengthen children’s protection against sexual violations. Through the Child Protection Inquiry, the government is taking the next important step in the work to push back this dark and serious crime and strengthen the protection of children and young people, says Gunnar Strömmer, Minister of Justice.

A BROAD INQUIRY ON CHILDREN’S PROTECTION

The inquiry is comprehensive and extends across several areas concerning how Sweden can strengthen the protection of children against sexual abuse and exploitation – through modernized legislation, preventive measures, and new tools to stop crime and protect children.

– It is a major victory that the government is taking steps forward on all three of our core issues. This is a comprehensive and thorough inquiry where we also welcome, among other things, the directives to review the placement of child sexual abuse material offenses in Chapter 16 of the Penal Code and that the investigator shall submit proposals to abolish the statute of limitations for all sexual offenses against children, says Ida Östensson, Secretary General of ChildX.

THE CHILD PROTECTION INQUIRY’S DIRECTIVE INCLUDES, AMONG OTHER THINGS:

• Change the name of the child sexual abuse material offense – consider whether the offense designations child sexual abuse material offense / aggravated child sexual abuse material offense should be changed to more clearly reflect that the offenses constitute documented sexual abuse of children.
• Review criminal liability for images and videos of children who have gone through puberty to ensure equal protection for all children under 18 years of age.
• Harsher penalties for child sexual abuse material offenses – consider and propose stricter sentencing scales.
• More clearly recognize children as crime victims – consider legislative changes that clarify that child sexual abuse material offenses are crimes against the depicted child and strengthen the possibility of compensation.
• Review the so-called “grooming legislation” – and take a position on whether the criminal provision is fit for purpose.
• Introduce a system of digital preventive measures – analyze and investigate the need for, among other things, digital preventive restraining orders and prohibition of possession of certain electronic equipment.
• Investigate what legislative changes are required in connection with the CSAM regulation – investigate what legislative changes are required and which authorities should be responsible for implementation.
• Identify unknown crime victims – consider whether the police should be allowed to use facial images of unknown crime victims, such as children appearing in abuse material, to search government registers in order to identify the child.
• Review background checks and protection in employment – examine whether the regulatory framework is sufficient to prevent sexual violations of children.
• Abolish the statute of limitations for sexual offenses against children – review the rules and submit proposals that mean more sexual offenses against children will not be subject to a statute of limitations.

IMPORTANT STEPS TOWARD THE GOAL:

• August 28, 2026: The Child Protection Inquiry is released. All three of ChildX’s demands from the election campaign are included.
• August 20, 2026: Opinion piece with ChildX’s Secretary General, board members, and ambassadors in Aftonbladet.
• July 2026: The campaign and petition receive continued strong support and signatures during the summer.
• June 22-24, 2026: Almedalen Week: ChildX meets representatives from all parties who support the campaign and the demands for a law that protects all children.
• June 22, 2026: Almedalsveckan: ChildX launches the campaign “Which Other Law”, using absurd messaging to highlight that the law sexualises children.
• The fight is not new! These issues have been driven by children’s rights organizations, survivors, and the women’s movement ever since the current child sexual abuse material legislation was established. Many have fought for a long time – today the government is taking action.