IAMA Swedish social worker working with refugees

What do you think about the "violent/sexual crime dramatically increasing in Sweden and it's the refugees" statement?

Correlation does not equal causation. Sexual crime has increased because of more progressive legislation on what constitutes a sexual crime, and violent crime is actually going down.

Tack!

Varsågod :)

That sounds like a cop-out answer, is there any statistical proof to what you say and that refugees are actually not to blame?

Here's a government webpage that discusses the issue in-depth and even provides sources: http://www.government.se/articles/2017/02/facts-about-migration-and-crime-in-sweden/

I think it's sad the government had to create this webpage, but am really glad they did. Just gave it a quick read, and found it very informative. I'm sure I'll link to it in plenty of discussions like this.

I'm glad you found it informative.

[deleted]

You can check their cited sources if you want, I imagine that'd do it.

Correlation does not equal causation

Typical Swede. I think you deserve those crimes that refugee do.

Typical redditor. Responding to my comment with their own comment. I think you deserve all the replies other redditors give you.

The fact is still that immigrants and refugees commit far more crime on average than Europeans, including Sweden. What do you think of that? For example, a couple of years back 100% of assaulted rapes in Oslo were done by immigrants. it's no different in Sweden.

You know, I'm honestly not as pro-immigration as many of you seem to think I am. I would love to discuss the more problematic aspects of Swedish immigration, but I'm immediately put on the defensive because so many people come at this issue from a perspective I find somewhat worrying.

Yes, immigrants are overrepresented in crime statistics in Sweden. This is a serious issue that needs to be adressed. But the reason they are overrepresented isn't because they wan't to create a Caliphate or because they hate women. It's because they've been segregated from the rest of society into suburbs with poor schooling and jobs. It's because Sweden is an extremely modern economy that struggles with providing enough low-skilled labour for those without education. These are the real issues, and I want to discuss them, but first I want to unpack peoples preconceived notions about the dangers of specifically Islamic immigration.

Hey I worked with refugee minors in a social care home in Germany for several months last year, and I just wanted to say I can relate to a lot of problems you face, and I understand how hard this job can be. Thankyou so much for carrying on. We might not always get to see happy endings for the people we work with, but your patience, dedication, and hard work and grit have genuinely changed lives, and just by caring for your refugees you have given them friendship in a time when they have nothing else. You are amazing, Thankyou. Do you have any specific stories that come to mind of an individual's life that was changed from being taken in by Sweden?

Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot :)

There are several unaccompanied minors who funded their journey to Sweden themselves by working hard in factories. I think their stories are the most inspirational to me, they were able to visualize a goal and work towards it for several years, then undertake a gruelling and dangerous journey. Now they're studying in school and hanging out with friends like children are supposed to do. I always tell them that what they've accomplished are things that people in Sweden struggle their whole lives to do, and that makes them special.

Hi,

1- How does the majority of the swedish population perceive the wave of immigration into Sweden ? Do they have a good or bad opinion about this whole event ?

2- (touchy question) Is it true than most of the crime and rape cases are committed by refugees in Sweden ?

Thank you for your time

1. So this is actually quite a difficult question, because you can approach it from multiple angles: Polls, politics and media. Polls are probably the most accurate, but I think there's value in understanding all three.

So polls regularly show two things: There's a significant minority of people in Sweden who are against immigration (Meaning it's not just a fringe group), and there's a majority of people who are against the current volume of immigration. Polls also show that over time there have been less and less people who identify themselves as neutral on the question of immigration. So it's become quite the hot button issue over the years. People are more polarized and the country is more divided than it has been in the past.

How this translates into politics isn't as clear cut. The third biggest party in the country, the Sweden Democrats, are hardline against immigration, and for the longest time they were completely isolated by the other parties. Lately, however, we're seeing the second biggest party, the conservative Moderate party, opening up to the idea of working together with the Sweden Democrats. This has caused fractures within the opposition's conservative coalition, where the more centrist parties are threatening to break away. The political status quo is kind of in an uproar at the moment, so it's hard to predict how everything will look when it all settles down. What is clear is that there are critical views on immigration within parties other than the Sweden Democrats that are coming to light.

Finally, the media, which in many ways mirrors what we're seeing in the US with "alternative news" outlets gaining power. Several syndications have sprung up as of late with ties to anti-immigration organisations (or fully-fledged nazi ones) which challenge the "narrative" of mainstream media that immigration is a net positive for Sweden. These sources are quite obvious in their bias and will only publish material supporting their views (not saying their material is necessarily false, just that it's one-sided). As for the mainstream, they're more balanced than you'd think. There are "investigative journalism" shows that discuss, amongst other things, crime committed by and against refugees, there are regularly op-eds in highly syndicated newspapers that take critical stances on immigration and any statistics you see are often from reputable sources such as the SCB (Department of Statistics). Still you could argue that there is bias, and that wouldn't be surprising. Studies show that people working in journalism disproportionately vote left-of-center compared to the rest of the country. Overall, however, I don't think it's too bad.

1. It's not true. The Police Department recently released statistics which showed that less than 1% of police dispatches were related to refugees.

It's true that immigrants in general are over-represented in crime statistics, but this has more to do with poverty levels than anything else.

It's true that immigrants in general are over-represented in crime statistics, but this has more to do with poverty levels than anything else.

In Denmark, just across the bridge, where we have even less immigrants than you but also have statistics that identify the ethnicity of the perpetrator and rinse them for any socioeconomic factors, it shows that MENA immigrants are by far still over-represented in the crime statistics.

Are you better at integrating or are you just not using the statistics the same way, due to the politicial pressure?

We adjust for socioeconomic variables as well, yet we do not seem to have the same results, at least based on the studies I've been reading. I don't think this has to do with political pressure, either.

Is that 1% statistic because immigrants make up less than 1% of the population or is it because police stopped going into migrant controlled ghettos?

Police have not stopped going into any neighbourhoods, and the proportion of undocumented people in Sweden compared to the proportion of dispatches that have been made against them does not imply a disproportionate amount of crime on their part.

It's not true. The Police Department recently released statistics which showed that less than 1% of police dispatches were related to refugees.

Do you have a source for this 1% claim? I find this highly unlikely.

Here you go!

I'd give you more direct sources but they're all in Swedish.

That's only during a three month period, from October-January. Most crimes are committed in the summer because more people are outside and its easier to travel and easier to get away too. It's very cold during those three months in Swedenso naturally there is less crimes committed. You should factor in the summer especially in these calculations.

Wheres the statistics over the whole year or maybe from January 2015-today? Would make more sense to have a bigger sample size over a year or a few years time and not just three months during the period where most people are inside.

This also factors in the whole country, if you would pick the bigger cities like Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo where most refugees are at, do you end up with 1% as well?

I fail to see how the time of year should impact the ratio of Swede-to-refugee dispatches. Surely if refugees commit more crimes during the summer, so do everyone else? Or is it only foreigners that commit more crime during the summer?

The statistics are only available from October because that was when the police started recording dispatches targeting undocumented people.

It's possible the figure is larger in the big cities, but like you said, that's where most refugees are at, so the Swede-to-refugee ratio changes. And even then, crime is higher in big cities so it's already somewhat adjusted to that.

Just having those three month as a sample size is the period where people overall does less crime, including refugees. It might affect the outcome in the statistics because it doesnt show the "true" crimerate over the year as a whole. If crime goes up 500% during the summer that would show in those kinds of statistics, right? That's why im saying it too small of a sample to really tell the whole story, it might be true to claim 1% , it might not be. That's why the clam "Only 1% of refugees does crime" 1% can be 5% or it can be more if you account for a whole year. Over a few years its easier to see if its closer to 1% or 10% because you see a "overall" and not just 3 months which is basically "right now". It can also be less, three months isnt a good enough size to pick from to make that statement, or you can make that statement but after the summer it might have gone way up and make it incorrect. It's not wrong to state it, it's just not good enough to rely on. Picking the three months that most people are inside and commit less crime compared to the warmer part of the year is why 1% might not be the case.

The statistics are only available from October because that was when the police started recording dispatches targeting undocumented people.

So the police havent recorded the refugees crimerate before? Why not? Why start now if they haven't before?

It's possible the figure is larger in the big cities, but like you said, that's where most refugees are at, so the Swede-to-refugee ratio changes.

Even if the swede-to-refugee ratio changes we are still talking about "reported crimes that refugees commit or are involved in" so the refugee-to-swedes doesn't matter. If more refugees are in a city its a better sample size to pick from because it shows a clearer picture.

Let's say that there are 10.000 refugees in Stockholm and 150 of those refugees commit a crime it's way more telling than taking a village with 10 immigrants and 3 of those are committing crimes because if we count % it shows that the village have way more problem with refugees doing crimes than Stockholm, even if there is more crimes committed in Stockholm.

If big cities have more crime it should still only be a few percentages more compared to the rest of the country if refugees doesn't commit that much crime. It might just be 5% of crimes in Stockholm that are committed by refugees and it might be way more. How many crimes in just stockholm, gotenburg and malmo are committed by refugees, that is what i wanna know because thats where most of them are at and it's a good enough sample to chose from. If you compare the total amount of crimes it's good that its only 1% but its 20-30-40% of crimes in the bigger cities that 1% really doesn't mean much because that means that the bigger cities that have a bigger population of refugees also have more crime comitted by them.

Im not saying this or that really, i think its weird to rely on statistics like that when its not good or big enough of a sample to actually know. If most refugees are placed in one city we should pick statistics from that city, not bunch them up with the rest of the country that doesn't have the same amount because that doesn't tell the whole story.

My guess is that organized crimes and gangs do more crimes than are reported or the police even care to investigate, so it's hard to know how reliable the statistics are.

EDIT: Formatting, on mobile so tried my best.

I suppose I can see your points, but I think you're making mountains out of molehills. I never claimed that refugees only commit 1% of all crime, just that 1% of police dispatches concerned refugees. I agree that this doesn't give us a full picture, but at the very least it is a helpful tool in establishing that claims of a refugee crime wave are overblown.

I do think it's way overblown and that's why i think that providing and relying on sources that gives a clearer picture is better because that is how you debate racists and people not read up on the subject. It's not gonna be a good enough answer to people to say "yeah during these three months..." when reality might be very different. I get what you are saying but i have a hard time relying on them when it really doesn't say much. I guess time will tell and statistics will show reality going forward when we keep collecting data about it.

Also this thread is very toxic because of the subject (downvotes and the other comments) so i hope you are not turned off by it. It's an AMA and im just here to ask questions, i dont have a bias so i just want to make that clear to you and im not the one downvoting you just for answering.

Haha, don't worry about me, I can handle a bit of toxicity ;) But thanks for the concern.

I agree wholeheartedly that it's important to be transparent about issues like these that are so easily derailed by fearmongering and dogma, and I appreciate that you are too. Even if we disagree on thsi particular issue, we are fighting the good fight :)

Do homeless in Sweden receive social assistance?

Swede here, taking the opportunity to answer this one from my perspective.

They are often homeless because the social assistance strategy currently used has failed. There is a overrepresentation of substance abuse and mental disorders in the homeless population in Sweden. We need better substance dependence and psychiatric treatment, for sure. And better mechanisms to make sure that people don't just end up on the streets when they are in obvious need of help.

Another perspective is that some parts of the homeless population are notoriously hard to help due to the huge social problems. There doesn't seem to be any obvious way to improve this.

What he said

What tangible benefits, if any, do you think Sweden gets from taking in so many refugees?

This is a very difficult question, because any answer I can give comes with a number of counterpoints.

You could argue that Sweden gets an economic benefit from an increased workforce. The population of ethnic Swedes shrinks every year and a large portion of Swedish citizens get University degrees and work in professions with high demands on skill and knowledge. An injection of people willing to work low-skill jobs can provide a boon for the Swedish economy and stave of stagnation.

On the other hand, the Swedish economy is very advanced, and as such the need for low-skill work is quite small. In the future it might very well shrink even more due to the robotization of manufacturing. Furthermore, what little low-skill work there is is protected by unions and collective bargaining that keeps wages high. As such it might be very difficult to find jobs, and unemployment rises. Studies show that after 7 years of being in the country not even half of refugees have found work.

You could argue that Sweden benefits on a social and cultural level. Multiculturalism can add value to Swedish culture, foster broader sympathy and understanding to foreign cultures and help create a more tolerant society.

On the other hand, Sweden was even before the crisis facing serious issues of segregation. Immigrants flooded into suburban areas with low housing costs as middle-class Swedes moved to more affluent areas. As most are aware, segregation leads to growing social woes, and the issues of the suburbs have expressed themselves with occasional rioting and increased hostility and even violence against police and social workers. These problems will be aggravated by taking in more refugees. The situation isn't help by an unhealthy housing market that keeps prices of houses high.

You could argue that Sweden benefits on a moral level. We provide a shining example of taking in as many as we can no matter the cost, showing human lives outweigh economic costs. We can help spearhead initiatives for more countries to to the same.

On the other hand, the inability of the Swedish government to act in any meaningful way against growing costs and increasing processing times, while also engaging in quite morally hypocritical behaviour such as suddenly guarding its borders after years of doing nothing comparable, has eroded much of the moral fiber of Sweden in the eyes of the world. Countries now point to Sweden as a bad example, a country that wouldn't take necessary measures and now has to pay the consequences. Furthermore, even before the crisis Sweden has been criticized for amongst other things not handling the cases of unaccompanied children with enough sensitivity. Last week Human Rights Watch strongly criticized Sweden for mot prioritizing children enough.

As you can tell, under current circumstances any benefit to Sweden, short- or longterm, is not terribly snificant. That's not to say these issues can't be turned around, but for them to be solved they must first be acknowledged. And to acknowledge these issues means acknowledging that the refugee crisis has a negative impact on the country. The government is unwilling to do this as it might sway public opinion against immigration and lead to a conservative victory next election.

So overall the current situation looks pretty bleak. Sweden needs to confront the truth that there are no easy solutions and try to act in the way that least damages the country. What this course of action would be I do not know, but we'll never find out if we don't actively search for it.

This was asked by someone and you answered from your previous AMA, after 8 months, has there been change? or is 8 months a bit short to comment on change?

Sadly, there has been change, but in a very poor direction.

I mentioned that in order for there to be a solution to the problems Sweden is facing, the government would first have to acknowledge that there are problems. In a way, the political climate in Sweden has changed in that direction, but only on the side of the opposition. The government, however, is as stubborn as before with acting like nothing is going on. Except now it's tried to do something anyway.

Two things have happened in the last 8 months: The Department of Migration has cut funding to all municipalities taking in refugees, and the government has tried to deport Afghan refugees to Afghanistan.

The cut funding is a disaster waiting to happen, because that means several municipalities have to shut down accommodations (did I mention I work at one of them? Yay unemployment!). That means a larger burden on refugees to learn the language, get an education and jump through all the bureaucratic hoops to get permanent residence, and far from everyone can manage that. That will lead to poorer integration and less capable citizens once they are allowed to stay. The country will suffer in the long-term.

As for sending people back to Afghanistan and why that is a staggeringly bad idea, some context: Afghanistan is a very heterogeneous country with a large number of different cultures and tribes. The people who flee Afghanistan are mostly Hazaras, a people who have been violently oppressed in Afghanistan for over a hundred years, most recently by the Taliban. Now, the Swedish government has attempted to strike a deal with the government of Afghanistan were they agree to take in refugees from Sweden. But the idea that the government of Afghanistan could possibly guarantee the safety of Hazara refugees forced to return is questionable at best. The situation is further complicated by the fact that a lot of Hazara refugees have never been to Afghanistan. Many were born in Iran or Pakistan, where they are treated as second-class citizens.

These are the two major things the government has done to combat the rising costs of the refugee crisis. Thankfully, the deal with Afghanistan fell through in the end and Sweden did not start sending people back there, but if that window of opportunity opens again you can be sure the government will pounce on it.

How is your heart not breaking?

That's my secret, Cap. I'm already heartbroken.

[deleted]

You warm my heart :)

Views on Trump immigration ban? Im serious...

I can't say I support it. There just isn't enough of a threat from these countries to justify a total ban. Even if there were, I think there are much more efficient ways of securing the country, like effectivising the TSA.

Or enforcing our current laws. Can we call it a temporary stay on immigration from these countries. It's not a ban. That would imply forever.

I don't have any problems with calling it a stay on immigration. The more a discussion is about facts and less about semantics the better.

I'm sure you knew that doing this AMA you'd get some comments that are... let's say harsh and aggressive. What was your motivation for doing this?

I felt like what with Trump's comments on immigration in Sweden it'd be relevant. I expected bad comments, though I admit I was somewhat overwhelmed this time. The climate sure has changed from 8 months back...

Where I live, people often refer to refugiees as "new canadians"

do people do the same thing in Sweden?

I don't think so, but we should!

[deleted]

Se där, man lär sig något varje dag.

Are you aware that an American media TV channel "Fox News" is creating make believe Swedish experts to talk about how terrible and dangerous Sweden has become? How do you feel about these "experts"?

I think I laughed for about five minutes straight when I saw that they had been interviewing "Nils Bildt".

Are you employed by the government or a private agency? What does a typical work day look like for you?

Private agency, although the government are shutting us down so it won't really matter soon.

Work varies greatly from day to day. Usually my job is simply to be there in case anyone needs help with something or just wants to hang out. I guess you could say I'm whatever they need me to be. I'm a friend, a parent, a teacher, a therapist, etc. Some days I barely do anything while others I'm working so hard I almost collapse.

But in general, I come in, read up on what I've missed since last I was there, then check if there are any tasks that need doing, e.g. remind people about appointments, book meetings, purchase medicine. After that's all done, I spend the day hanging out with people and then document any meaningful interactions I've had. If someone's been showing improvement with behavioural issues, I write it down. If someone's been feeling down, I write it down. If someone's been skipping class, I write it down. It's extremely important that everyone on the staff is aware of what is happening in everyone's life so we can be as efficient as possible.

There always needs to be at least one person at the accommodation at all times, so some days I'll be spending the night there. We have a bed in the office and facilities for any daily needs like hygiene or food.

Why are they shutting you down?

The Department of Migration is cutting funding across the board, and so my municipality has decided to terminate all contracts with private companies running accomodations.

I know there has been a lot of controversy about if the people migrating are actual war refugees or just people from impoverished countries in the area taking advantage of the situation.

How does Sweden verify, if the person in question says he lost every piece of ID?

The process looks something like this:

The refugee in question applies for permanent residence in Sweden. He claims he's from country X and that life there is so dangerous he can't possibly go back. He is then questioned on the details of his story. What village is he from, what specifically was dangerous about his situation, what family members does he have that are still in the country, are they alive or dead, etc. etc.

The department of migration now does two things: One, it does research to see if his statements check out. Has he described the village accurately, is it under threat, etc. Two, it cross-examines his answers at a later date to check for inconsistencies.

If the person has not given strong enough information to support his position, his application is denied. I have seen many examples of this. For example, one person I've worked with was denied asylum because he couldn't name the province his village was in. Another was denied because he didn't know the names of the neighbouring cities. They are very, very thorough.

Greetings! How did you get started with helping refugees? I'm about to graduate from college and would like to get into a similar field. Where's the best place to start?

Side Note: I'm American and trump is cutting funding for refugee assistance which will likely make it more difficult to help.

I just emailed the boss of the accomodation, got invited to an interview and was hired on the spot.

I don't know how it is in America, but in Sweden this industry is painfully understaffed. Most responsible adults could probably get a job here. I also know for a fact that several of the higher-up positions are filled by people who started on the "ground floor", so it's not a dead-end job.

Well lets start about that ceertain someone and his statements.

Is there a fear level in certain swedish suburbs that was not there before the latest wave of immigration (lastv 10 year)from war torn countries ?

I suppose you could say that. I myself lived in one of the more, shall we say, "unstable" suburbs in Stockholm about two years ago, and there were times where you would definitely feel unsafe. But whether or not you can pin that on immigration is trickier. For instance, in the last few years we have had a complete restructuring of the police force in Sweden, which is generally considered to have made it less effective. There's also an argument to be made that the actual criminal element of these suburbs is made up of a very small amount of people, and that the majority of residents are law-abiding citizens. And of course, there's no such thing as no-go zones in Sweden.

There are other arguments, like how suburbs have become very segregated or how our school system doing worse, but discussing those might just be a bit overkill.

There are other arguments, like how suburbs have become very segregated or how our school system doing worse, but discussing those might just be a bit overkill.

Those two issues have political causes, and are not related to immigrants. But since immigrants often start at the bottom of the ladder, they usually are the ones who suffer the negative consequences the most.

Yes, that was what I was trying to get at. Sorry if I was being unclear. I do not consider these to be arguments against immigration.

I'm curious if your schools are becoming more segregated or if you are fighting that trend?

Hmmm, yes and no. We do have a voucher system in Sweden which in theory should combat segregation, but I don't think it's doing enough. People just aren't that willing to let their kid study in a school further away from home, even if that school is better, and that means segregation is common. It is, however, an issue people are aware of and so hopefully it will be fought harder.

I am a substitute teacher in my spare time so I do have some insight into this, and there are definitely some schools that are, for lack of a better term, "whiter" than others.

Sexual molestation and sexual assault are up almost 50% since 2014. What started happening to Sweden in 2014?

https://www.google.com/amp/www.thelocal.se/20170112/swedens-2016-crime-stats-analyzed/amp

Anything to fit your narrative, huh? Or did you just look for what you wanted it to say and not actually read it?

"But when that number is compared to 2014, where the number of reported rapes was 6,700, then a slight decrease can actually be seen. In other words, the number of reported rapes in Sweden dipped in 2015 (down by 12 percent to 5,920) then in 2016 it returned to around the same level as 2014."

In 1975, the Swedish parliament unanimously decided to change the former homogeneous Sweden into a multicultural country. Forty years later the dramatic consequences of this experiment emerge: violent crime has increased by 300%. If one looks at the number of rapes, however, the increase is even worse. In 1975, 421 rapes were reported to the police; in 2014, it was 6,620. That is an increase of 1,472%. Sweden is now number two on the global list of rape countries. According to a survey from 2010, Sweden, with 53.2 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants, is surpassed only by tiny Lesotho in Southern Africa, with 91.6 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants.

Oh yeah, no problems in Sweden, as long as your from Lesotho (is that still a country?)! People just pushing a "narrative", those damn bigots!

Kidding aside, can I ask if you feel on average, people from the Middle East have a different view of women and sex than Scandinavians have? If so how can you meld the two together? If not why cant women drive alone, uncover their faces, talk to unrelated men in Middle Eastern culture?

There have been a lot of changes in Sweden since the 70s. We have broader definitions of rape, and it's more socially acceptable to report rape.

This isn't an exclusively Swedish phenomenon, it can be observed in most Western countries.

What are your thoughts on the murder of Alexandra Mezher?

It was an absolute tragedy, and she shouldn't have had to be in that situation alone. I consider it a failure on the part of the people she worked on that her safety wasn't adequately considered. Any experienced worker knows when a situation requires extra hands, and this one definitely did.

Do I worry that the same could happen to me? No.

what is best and worst thing about this?

About my job or taking in refugees in general?

The best thing about my job is feeling like I'm making a difference in the lives of the people I work with, and the best thing about taking in refugees is that we're doing a moral good and saving lives.

The worst thing about my job is feeling like nobody at the top gives a shit and prefer to delegate work down to me, and the worst thing about taking in refugees is that it's a bit inconvenient I guess? Or maybe it's how salty it makes some people on reddit-threads about immigration (read: Muslim-rape guy)

How would you describe Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 3 words?

You're welcome, Manchester

Hello, who do you think would win in a fight between James Franco and Dave Franco?

In a fistfight I don't know, but in a bathingsuit contest it'd be Dave hands down.

What is the best you've seen from a refugee case (as in good people who need help) and what is the worst (as in people that you question if they should even be their)?

Most people from Syria have a good case for staying, and most do get to stay. I've met many kind people, but the ones I'd consider "best" are the ones I know will handle life in Sweden well. The ones who take their education seriously, quickly learn the language and are responsible and mature.

The "worst" is I suppose the people who come from countries that just don't get you asylum. Albania is the one I've seen most often. Only 2% of applications from Albania get approved, meaning that resources spent on those cases would be better spent on cases that will actually grant asylum. Still, they are here for a reason and I would never go so far as to say they're leeching off the system, but they do contribute to overburdening the system.

Someone willing to learn a new language is one of the most encouraging and awesome things I've seen people do. I hope many of these people do find stability.

Thanks for helping them!

Some of them work so damn hard on it too.

There was one kid who spent 6-8 hours a day on the computer learning Swedish for the first month he was here. After two months he spoke better than some who'd been here for over a year.

On a personal level, what are a few of your favorite films?

There are films I can just put on and watch at any time, and there are films I like to dedicate an entire day to just watch and soak in. Of the former, my favorites are probably Groundhog Day or Master & Commander. Of the latter, anything by Takeshi Kitano or Werner Herzog. Sonatine is probably number one.

Would you say these immigrants are more prone to committing crimes over a normal Swedish citizen? (Not trying to be rude or mean-spirited just want your opinion)

I think refugees are more vulnerable to being taken advantage of by criminal elements. That is a problem we have to combat regularly and it can be difficult. Thankfully we have an effective network across several accommodations, so if for instance one of our residents is hanging out with a drug dealer we can make sure that person is not welcome at any of our locations.

Hello,

I am from India. Local people here are usually more sensitive to refugees of similar ethical origin as them OR who speak a similar language as them. But they see the refugees from alien cultures as a burden. What is your experience? What should be done to increase the awareness/ sensitivity of local population to the second kind of refugees?

Very interesting question.

There is definitely a lot of skepticism when it comes to accepting people of different cultures or ethnicities, even here in Sweden. Xenophobia is in many ways ingrained in us as a survival instinct and the foreign and strange is intimidating. It also doesn't help that the cultural view of certain cultures have become more negative over the years. Arabic culture used to be heavily romanticized, for instance, as were the Pashto during the Afghanistan war, but are now more commonly associated with radical Islamism.

The way we work with integrating refugees into local communities is to encourage communication between ourselves and our neighbours. We volunteer for when there are local events such as BBQs and participate in activities that involed the community. We also have programs where unaccompanied minors are paired up with foster families, where they can go to eat dinner and spend time with Swedes.

It's important that we work from our end to integrate refugees into the local culture, that is the single most effective way to show that they can be an asset to the community.

It's important that we work from our end to integrate refugees into the local culture, that is the single most effective way to show that they can be an asset to the community.

Have you noticed any issues or difficulties trying to get people that have been part of Islam for a lifetime to be accepting of western traditions and cultures ? I can't help but to bring up videos I've seen of Muslim ghettos in Europe, although it might be propaganda from oposing ideologies or parties, it's still some kind of evidence.

If there have been difficulties they have been isolated incidents and not a general rule. For the most part people are very open to western ideas, especially concerning sexual and religious freedom. Freedom is a universally attractive concept, it's just a matter of showing people how good it can be for them. In my case it's very easy.

So what happened last night in Sweden?

But on a more serious note, what has been the most surprising thing you've had to deal with working with the refugees? And what's been your biggest difficulty?

I got black-out drunk and mained Hanzo all night long.

It was not my proudest moment.

As for your serious question, I think the most surprising thing has probably been just how normal you realize that these people are once the circumstances of their being here stop being as relevant to your interactions with them. Especially the minors. Before they are refugees, before they are Hazara or Syrian or Ethiopian, before they are Muslim or Christian, they are just kids. I double as a substitute teacher, and I see the exact same behaviours in school as I see in the accommodation. They have rebellious phases, they get depressed, they fall in love, they discover new hobbies and interests. They very quickly stop being refugees and start being simply people.

The most difficult thing I've had to deal with is kids who regress because their applications are rejected. Once you know you're not going to stay in the country much longer, you stop caring about anything. I've seen people lock themselves in their rooms for days on end, neglect school and work and friends, and sometimes even become suicidal. What's worse is that there is very little we can do to help them. We can't tell them everything will be alright and that they should hold out hope, because it won't. They've been rejected. It's over.

Was I in Sweden last night?

And that's incredibly humanizing to read. It's easy to just sort of quantize them under a title and stop thinking of the normal life issues they deal with like the rest of us do, only the issue that brought them there.

And what percentage of the refugees do get to stay? What do you do to attempt to ease the transition once they find out they had been rejected?

I don't have the specific numbers, but if you're from Syria or Eritrea, you're basically guaranteed to get to stay. The threat of living anywhere in those countries is so real that there's no question you need asylum.

Other countries aren't as lucky. A lot of Somalians get rejected because their claims are usually hard to substantiate. "Al Shabab threatened my farm" they could say, but the Department of Migration might decide that said farm is too far away from common Al Shabab areas of operation to be a feasible target for them, and so you're sent back. Afghans also struggle, because if they can't prove that they're from an area that's especially dangerous, the DoM has to assume that the threat-level they face isn't high enough to justify asylum and send them back.

Once someone has been rejected we try to do everything we can to stop them from becoming self-destructive or passive. We encourage them to keep going to school, keep seeing friends, keep participating in activities arranged by us. Sometimes that simply doesn't work, however, and we can't do much beside watching them slowly wittle away until finally they're sent off.

How is your organization dealing with people who are skipping the system and getting across illegally? Do you put them in the queue with the other people patiently waiting to be accepted refugees? Or does your organization have their own special way of helping these people while vetting them and not disregarding the folks who are trying to get in legitimately?

The thing about asylum seekers is that the moment they claim to seek asylum we are legally obliged to help them. So it doesn't really matter how they get there, once they make their intentions known they go into the system.

Not sure what you mean with the distinction of illegal and legal refugees? Or do you simply mean illegal and legal immigrants? Cause it's very easy to get a visa into Sweden so illegal immigration isn't really an issue for us the way it is in the US.

My mistake, I was in the mindset of immigrants. Hindsight says an "illegal" refugee doesn't make sense haha.

Ain't no worry, my friend :)

What and how much government paid public assistance do refugees receive? How much do you receive?

Are you male or female? How old are you? What percentage of the adult refugees are male?

Why do Swedes obsess so much about what happens in the US? Almost no one in the US can name the head of Sweden or say what type of government you have. I know generally where Sweden is a map, but could not tell confidently distinguish it from Norway or Denmark, and I am well above average in geography.

Well, they have access to the same healthcare and educational services as everyone else, they receive between $300-$400 a month, and that includes their own food expenses, they also receive housing from us as well as buscards for getting around and a grant of $150 a year for recreational activities. I've probably missed a few expenses and it's difficult to quantify the costs of all the things that don't come with a bill. The exact numbers are freely available online but it can get quite hefty. I believe I read a study once that said it takes an average of 9 years until half of a set of refugees find employment and stop costing the government money.

I get paid $15/hr.

I'm a man in my 20s.

I don't have the exact figures but the number of male refugees is larger than the number of women. Amongst unaccompanied minors, significantly so.

And we obsess about the US because we secretly love the shit out of you :) Swedes are the ultimate tsundere when it comes to the US. We claim to hate your capitalism and wars in the middle east yet we consume your culture with gusto and all dream of visiting one day. Personally, I love America, and if I ever attend a ballgame I will gladly stand up and sing the national anthem with you.

Do you see the refugees gathering with the mentality of working towards a Calaphate and the growth of Islam taking over the country of Sweden and other highly immigrated countries or, do they really as a whole just want a peaceful place to live and keep to themselves?

You have to consider which refugees are coming to Sweden. Do Iraqis want to build a Caliphate? Or would they rather work towards establishing their own sovereign nation? Do Syrians want to build a Caliphate? Or are they escaping a bloody civil war? Do Hazaras want to build a Caliphate? Or are they escaping prosecution and racism in their home country due to their ethnicity?

Even under the umbrella of Islam, these people are from very different walks of life, as different as the French are from the English and as the English are from the Germans.

Yes but that doesn't answer the overall question. Do the refugees want to live quietly and peacefully in Sweden, or do they want to take root and change everything to fit their faith?

I believe they want to live quietly in peacefully in Sweden, yes. At most they want to live a life tailored to their cultural values and traditions, but I've seen very little to imply that they want the same to apply to all of Sweden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODw7o34Vdbk&

Is it normal for journalists to need police to escort them out of immigrant neighbourhoods out of fear for their safety ?

Similar things have happened, yes, and it is a very disturbing development. There have also been reports of firetrucks and ambulances being pelted with rocks. These are real social issues and they need to be dealt with.

The problem is that these are social issues that aren't necessarily relevant to a discussion on immigration. Like I mentioned in an earlier comment, crime is usually traced to socio-economic situations and not culture or country of origin, and there have been many political issues in Sweden independent of immigration.

These issues are not swept under the rug or ignored in Swedish media, they are simply contextualized in a different manner to how the FOX news report did.

Is the crime as bad as I hear?

What have you heard?

Any comment on the no-go zones that are populated by people who aren't ethnic Swedes?

As far as I've been able to discern, they don't exist.

Journalist Tim Pool had to be escorted out of one yesterday.

That doesn't make it a no-go zone. Police escorted him out of the area, which should imply it wasn't a no-go zone.

Hi there, not swedish but if i was i would consider you a traitor to my country. no offence or anything but you are introducing dangerous enemies that are likely to bring the eventual downfall of the safe orderly society that once existed. i guess my question is, how do you live with that fact?

It's very easy: I simply don't agree with you. I flatter myself a good judge of character, and as far as I've been able to tell I have yet to work with someone I've worried about being a "dangerous enemy".

True 1/3 Swedish women are afraid to leave their homes ?

I don't think so, I haven't ever heard about that.

This was in an article from January based on an investigation made from an institution under the ministry of justice so it seems pretty legit.

Link:

Article - did not find it in english

http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/bra-kvinnors-otrygghet-alarmerande/

About the institute

https://www.bra.se/bra/bra-in-english/home/about-bra.html

Brå is a trustworthy source, so there's no questioning its validity.

I had not read this study, it's very valuable (and quite disturbing) information. Thank you for sharing!

You said that the increase in sex crimes from 2015-2016 can be explained exclusively by Swedish legislative changes regarding sex crimes.

Could you please tell me exactly what sex crime laws were changed during that time period and how they would cause such a notable increase in comparison to previous years. How exactly do you believe that these specific legaslative changes had a larger effect on your countries crime rate than accepting in thousands of impoverished people who treat women like livestock?

Also, hypothetically, if you knew that migrants were committing rapes at much higher rates than native Swedes, would you feel any guilt about your compliance in it all?

For instance, in Sweden, multiple accounts of sexual assault will count as individual charges. If you rape someone multiple times, it will not be filed in court as one instance of rape but rather several.

Also, the definition of rape has been broadened considerably. For instance, if you feel unsure about sleeping with someone, and afterwards felt like you weren't okay with it, that can be considered rape.

Most rapes occur at home, and the guilty party is often someone in your circle of friends or family. That fact hasn't changed in Sweden.

Now, I'm intrigued by your phrasing of the hypothetical question. Why would I feel compliant in migrants committing rapes? It's not my fault that Sweden is complying with international law on accepting asylum seekers. Not only that, but my job is to actively help refugees integrate into society and become law-abiding citizens. In your hypothetical scenario, am I not fighting the good fight?

"Also you guys have an orange president now? Do you color code your leaders?"

How am I to take you seriously as an unbiased expert when the above comment is in your introduction? [Serious]

I'm not sure why this would call my impartiality into question? I just joked about the fact that Donald Trump looks like he has spent a bit too long in a sauna. Would you think I was biased if I had joked about Obama's ears when he was president? ("Aren't you listening in on our private conversations enough?" is totally what I would say)

Why are you in denial about refugees committing more rapes and other crime? http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/0003/13/dokument.html https://www.bra.se/download/18.cba82f7130f475a2f1800012697/1371914727881/2005_17_brottslighet_bland_personer_fodda_sverige_och_utlandet.pdf

It seems like neither source is discussing refugees, and both in fact support my overall position on immigration and crime. Socioeconomic factors are more important variables than ethnicity or country of origin in explaining crime rates.

Are you going to be happy when your culture is dead? Hope your like sharia.

Even if we assume Sweden will become a nation under sharia law, that hardly means our culture will die. People from Afghanistan still have a distinct culture to people from Syria, for instance.

So is it true that you guys put refugees in luxury apartments while living in crappy apartments yourself?

Actually several accommodations are being shut down due to cuts in the budget and we're not really sure where everyone is going to stay.

And my apartment is quite nice, thank you very much.

Do you guys have a designated rape day for the Muslims or are they free to rape as they please?

Oh boy, here they come...

Did the refugees rape you in the ass?

No