In the spring of 2024, 84-year-old Elsa was horrifically raped by a man working in Uppsala’s home service. Despite Elsa’s earlier warnings about the same man exposing himself to her, the municipality allowed him to continue his job.
Elsa expressed her outrage, saying, “I was subjected to a rape that was unparalleled. And no one – nobody cared about it in the municipality or home care.”
Elsa’s case is part of a growing scandal, with another woman, “Siv,” also being sexually abused by multiple home service workers, and her complaints ignored. The manager responsible for Elsa’s case had already mishandled Siv’s situation, even going on vacation instead of addressing the issue.
Elsa, som nu träder fram med sitt riktiga namn, blev våldtagen av en man från hemtjänsten pic.twitter.com/0l5xmUg88E
— Natalie Norea Burea (@NatalieBurea) November 26, 2024
The man who raped Elsa had a history of sexual abuse in his previous job, but Uppsala Municipality still employed him. Elsa has criticized the municipality for failing to take responsibility, noting they have neither listened to her nor offered an apology. “I would feel that I have my human dignity left if they had just apologized,” she said. Elsa has been forced to pay for her own psychological care, while the municipality has spent SEK 36,150 on crisis support for staff instead.
Elsa’s grandson, Mimmi, has reported the home service manager for misconduct, calling out the neglect. The municipality has launched internal reforms, including criminal record checks for new hires and better supervision. However, no apology has been issued to Elsa, and the municipality continues to hide behind confidentiality.
Elsa hopes her story will empower other women to come forward. “Maybe I can go ahead and take on other women’s shame so they also dare to tell,” she said, signaling her courage in the face of widespread negligence.
