Sweden is the country with the highest murder rate

Sweden is the country with the highest murder rate AOL EN AOL EDITORIAL 28 October 2021, 0:58 PM Sweden is considered a model Nordic country, but appearances are deceptive: the country has the highest murder rate in the EU. Firearms in particular are a major problem. Although Sweden is not in first place in terms of total crimes (Ireland is), the number of victims of lethal violence is steadily increasing in Sweden, while it is decreasing in the rest of the EU. On average, eight out of one million people in the EU are victims of fatal violence. In Sweden, the figure is now 12 per million. One prominent victim of deadly violence is 19-year-old rapper Einar, who was shot dead outside his home in a Stockholm suburb this week. It is suspected to be gang-related. Firearms are a big problem The Swedish Advisory Council for Crime Prevention published a report in May describing the extent of the problem. Both overall fatal violence and gun violence are steadily decreasing in all European countries, but are increasing in Sweden. Gun violence in particular is a major problem, the researchers said. Since 2011, homicides by firearms have tripled in Sweden. The reasons are manifold The report cites drug trafficking, gangs and a lack of trust in the police as possible reasons. There is also talk of a 'contagion effect', the more murders committed with firearms, the more normal the violence becomes, and appears as an alternative to solving problems. According to the report, the violence mainly affects young men. In the 20-29 age group, the murder rate in Sweden is more than 4 times higher than in the rest of the EU.