Swedish court convicts man for rape in test of consent law

COPENHAGEN – Sweden’s top court has reversed a lower court’s ruling and found a man guilty of rape for having sex without explicit consent.

The Supreme Court said Thursday that an unnamed man was sentenced to eight months in prison for sexual intercourse with an unidentified woman he had met via social media.

The woman, it said, had been “passive and gave no clear expression that she wanted to participate in the sexual acts.”

The court said the ruling was a test of legislation that went into force just over a year ago, which deemed that sexual activity not preceded by a partner’s spoken agreement or any other clear approval could be considered rape.

The provision was part of broader sexual crimes bill that put Sweden on par with others in Europe.