During a date, “Simon” is exposed to something that he will later report to the police as rape. The care also assesses that he has post-traumatic stress disorder linked to a sexual assault.
– It was like my brain broke in this apartment, I was terrified, says Simon, whose real name is something else.
After the incident, “Simon” has went to therapy and he has not been able to work as usual. In order to receive compensation for his expenses, he makes a report to the insurance company Hedvig.
But Simon gets no money. The insurance company refers to the fact that the police closed the preliminary investigation, but also because of this the wording in the insurance contract: “You must not enter or remain in situations or environments where fights or arguments have occurred or usually occur”.
They believe that Simon violated this safety regulation because he “has remained in the situation”.
Even though it felt like an assault and Simon initially says he indicated he didn’t want to, he stayed in the apartment and continued to participate in the sex.
– I thought I wouldn’t get out of there. If I show in the slightest way that this is not okay, maybe it will be extremely much worse, he says.
To become passive in connection with a rape is a common reaction. Research shows that approximately 70 percent of the patients at the reception for rape victims at Södersjukhuset in Stockholm have ended up in something similar to a paralyzed state after the abuse.
Ekot’s review shows how insurance companies deal with sexual crimes. When it comes to other types of assault, for example assault, most companies have writings stating that you yourself should not have put yourself at risk through your actions.
Several of the companies state to Ekot that they do not refer to those requirements when it comes to sexual crimes in particular. Trygg Hansa answers, for example, that in such a sensitive situation it is not reasonable to place demands on how the person who has been exposed would have acted.
Robert Collin, claims manager at the insurance company Hedvig, does not want to answer questions about the individual case. Collin also cannot answer which situations with potential risk of being exposed to sexual violence should be avoided in order to be covered by their insurance terms.
– I cannot answer that, because it will be a hypothetical discussion.
After Ekot’s interview with the company, the company’s communications manager writes in an email that they take on board the criticism that the conditions are unclear and they further write that they think this is an extremely important issue. The company writes that they will follow Trygg Hansa’s example by clarifying that due diligence requirements are never applied to sexual crimes.
Simon is actually called something else.
Tip Ekot’s investigative reporters!
Know more about this or something else we should review?
Email Maria Ridderstedt
Do you want to tip encrypted? Used Radio leaks.
Maria Ridderstedt
[email protected]
){kind=link}