“At Least I Tried”: Swedish Police Officers’ Experiences of Meeting with Women Who Were Raped

Abstract

Interactions with police officers are of great importance as to how the reporting raped woman continues to process what has happened. The focus of this study was on police officers’ experiences regarding contact with women who report rape. Sixteen officers participated in focus groups, and the data were subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Participants stressed their wish to be supportive and empathic, but also their lack of support and prerequisites, e.g., lack of amenities in interrogation rooms. They felt frustrated and described their work as “trying” rather than succeeding. If unaddressed, such shortcomings risk negatively affecting both police officers and victims.