Short presentation

Rape cases are notorious hard cases in the criminal justice system. With the introduction of a consent-based rape law in 2021, Danish legal professionals face novel challenges and a new language surrounding rape. Because what constitutes consent? And how are the young people's understandings of consent translated into the legal context, more specifically rape trials? 

In my PhD (2022-2026) I examine sexual consent and rape triaps involving young people. I focus specifically on young people (under the age of 25), since the majority of rape happens among this age group and since young people's experiences with the criminal justice system is overlooked. 

By combining observations in court and interviews with young complainants, young defendants and legal professionals I investige how sexual consent is defined and constructed during trial as well as how the trial is emotionally managed by all actors. Drawing on the sociology of emotions, I contribute to the growing field on emotions in courts as well as with new knowlege on understandings of sexual consent. 

Before my PhD, I worked as an analyst at VIVE (The Danish Center for Social Science Research) in the criminological and social field. Including studies on subjects such as: child homicides, PTSD among police and prison officers, intimate partner violence, sex work in Denmark, young people's educational expectations, young people's gaming practices, women's homelessness and various interventions for marginalized citizens. 

Primary fields of research

• Rape cases
• Criminal justice system
• Criminology
• Sociology of emotions
• Youth research

Fields of interest

• Criminology
• Sociology of law
• Sociology of emotions
• Youth research