Swedish Man Sentenced for Coercing Wife into Sexual Services
A 61-year-old man from Sweden has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison after being found guilty of coercing his wife into providing sexual services to more than 120 men.
The court determined that he exercised control over her through threats of violence and the use of security cameras. His convictions include attempted rape, aggravated pimping, assault, and unlawful threats, following a trial held in Härnösand, located on Sweden's eastern coast.
In addition to the man, 28 other men were convicted for purchasing sexual acts and services related to the case.
The case attracted international attention and has drawn comparisons to the case of Dominique Pelicot in France, who was convicted of drugging his then-wife Gisèle and allowing other men to rape her over a nine-year period.
The man, originating from the Swedish province of Ångermanland, consistently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he only facilitated consensual encounters. However, the court sided with prosecutors, concluding that he had "ruthlessly exploited" the woman. Neither individual has been publicly identified.
Content Warning: This story contains details that some readers may find disturbing.
Details of the Coercion and Control
According to prosecutors, the man began forcing his wife into sexual encounters with men who traveled from across Sweden to their remote farm in Kramfors. These encounters, which took place in exchange for payment, started in 2022 and continued until the woman reported the abuse to police in October 2025.
The man administered drugs to the woman and leveraged the isolation of their home in eastern Sweden, her limited social contacts, and surveillance cameras installed in their residence to maintain control. The cameras sometimes recorded sexual encounters, further intensifying the control.
Prosecutors informed the court that he threatened to kill her, pour petrol on her, burn her, and cut off her fingers.
Public broadcaster SVT reported that the woman was aware of the cameras' locations and managed to escape by using a blind spot before contacting the police.
Court Findings and Legal Proceedings
The court ruled on Tuesday that the man had:
"influenced and induced his wife to perform sexual acts on herself, broadcast them online, receive additional sex buyers and try to get neighbours and customers to have sex with her"
The judgment noted that much of this was accomplished through "prolonged nagging and with unpleasant and condescending language." It was also established that he initiated the sale of her sexual services and managed most aspects of the business.
The court dismissed eight counts of rape, citing insufficient evidence to prove that the woman's participation was involuntary, and in one instance, the specific sexual acts could not be established.
Swedish law allows for rape charges in cases where the severity of the violation is comparable to sexual intercourse, according to rights groups.
Additionally, the man was convicted of one count of attempted rape, while three other charges were dismissed.
Alongside the prison sentence, the court ordered him to pay the woman 200,000 krona (£15,900) in damages.
Convictions of Other Men Involved
Although authorities identified 120 men as having engaged in the sexual services arranged by the man, only 29 were formally charged in connection with the case.
Most of these men denied the allegations, claiming they either did not have sexual contact with the woman or did not pay for such services.
The court convicted 28 of these men for collectively purchasing 56 sexual services. Two received prison sentences, while the remainder were given suspended sentences or probation.
