Does law lead, or does it follow?

Lunch seminar with Associate Professor Rasmus Munksgaard, Aalborg University, about trends in rape reporting and criminal justice outcomes before and after the consent-based rape legislation in Denmark

On January 1st 2021 consent-based rape legislation (Samtykkeloven), CBRL, came into effect in Denmark, expanding §216 of the penal code and broadening the legal definition of rape.  The reform was preceded by institutional and civil society pressure, and more generally, amid broader changes in norms and public debate concerning sexual consent. The reform was expected to affect reported cases and their progression through the justice system, and reports, suspicions, and prosecutions for rape have increased substantially. Yet, the question remains whether these changes began before the reform came into effect?

In this paper, we use registry data and an event study design to examine the progression of rape cases before and after CBRL. We examine trends in reported rapes, the identification of suspects, and the progression of cases through the justice system, including their eventual outcomes. By comparing trends before and after, we shed light on the relationship between legal change, social norms, and the criminal justice system.

Read more about Rasmus Munksgaard.

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