Att problematisera snippan - En kritisk diskursanalys av språkbruket i juridiska och mediala texter om en sexualbrottsdom mot barn

Sammanfattning: In February 2023 a man was released from a rape accusation because a 10-year-old girl used the Swedish word for vagina - “snippa” - to explain her genitalia. The news resulted in immense reactions from the public, especially considering the word is well-established within Swedish childcare. The sentence has since been appealed to Sweden's supreme court. This judgment shows how important language is, and what consequences can arise from a seemingly small word. By adopting the theories of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler, we have done a qualitative study through a critical discourse analysis of the so-called “snippadom”. An intersectional analysis of the verdict, appeal, and media outlets reveals the underlying discourses and how these connect to societal norms about gender, function, and age. Patriarchal structures and how they affect the allegedly neutral legal system are laid bare. Another result is the discursive resistance towards mentioning neuropsychiatric disabilities - even if these are relevant to the case. We discovered that words and the meaning one chooses to give them, such as the vagina or the definition of sexual intercourse, can play a huge role in both influencing and being influenced by society. When comparing the media outlets writing about the case to the verdict, this also discloses how even if everyday language differs from the legal vocabulary, many of the discourses remain the same. Even when they contrast, the power dynamics between this exhibit how deeply rooted the discourses are. The problem areas identified in this study all intervene with the multilayered social work field. Therefore we see the importance of reflecting on and discussing these different phenomena and discourses.