The elderly woman had recently moved into a nursing home in Västerbotten when she was subjected to a sexual assault by one of the staff. Despite her protests and screams for him to stop, the man continued to shave her genitals. Now, the 30-year-old caregiver Qader Majidi has been sentenced to one year in prison. The investigation shows that he had previously asked to shave another elderly woman’s genitals—and had been told that this was not part of the job. Police also found pornographic images of elderly women on his mobile phone.

The assault took place on December 23 last year at Vännäs Elderly Center in Västerbotten County. The woman, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and has a bipolar diagnosis, had only moved into the facility a few days earlier.

One of those responsible for her care was Qader Majidi, born in 1996 and an Afghan citizen. He had worked at the elderly center for nearly two years, first as a cleaner and then as a care assistant. For about a year, he had held a permanent position.

When Majidi was to assist the woman with her personal hygiene, he took out a razor and began shaving her genitals. According to the woman’s account, the care assistant explained that she was dirty and therefore needed to be shaved. However, she did not want to be shaved at all.

– No! You must not!

In a police interview, the woman stated that she protested and screamed at Majidi to stop, but he continued. The shaving caused pain, and she became frightened. Afterwards there was stinging in her genital area, and she worried that the man would do the same thing again.

Nurse heard the protests

The assault was discovered when a nurse passed by the woman’s room and heard unhappy sounds from the bathroom. She entered to see what was happening and found Majidi in the act of shaving the woman’s genitals.

The woman immediately told the nurse that she did not want to be shaved and that it hurt. The nurse could confirm that the woman’s genital area was nearly completely shaved.

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When the nurse asked Majidi why he had done this, he replied that the woman’s pubic hair was so long that feces could get stuck. He also claimed that her relatives had wanted him to shave her and that the woman herself had asked for it because it was itchy. The elderly woman immediately reacted to his explanation.

– He’s lying.

When the nurse later asked the woman if she really wanted to be shaved, the answer was just as clear:

– No, never, you don’t do that.

Relatives had expressly said no

According to legal documents, Majidi had already raised the issue of the woman’s pubic hair with her relatives before the assault. When the woman’s son and daughter-in-law helped her move in, Majidi had entered the room and asked for a razor.

The daughter-in-law pointed out where razors were stored in the bathroom cabinet, but when the care assistant explained that he felt the woman’s genital area needed shaving, she reacted firmly.

During a police interview she said she clearly told the staff, both verbally and with clear signs, that they were not allowed to do anything like that. If, against all likelihood, the elderly woman wanted help with intimate shaving, the daughter-in-law would arrange it herself.

Accusations of racism against relatives

Majidi later claimed he had interpreted the daughter-in-law’s actions as permission. In the police interview, he expressed surprise that she now denied asking him to perform the shaving. He even suggested the family’s version of events might be due to racist attitudes.

– I don’t know, maybe she has racist thoughts or the family has made it up.

The district court rejects this explanation and states that the daughter-in-law’s testimony disproves the claim that he was given such an assignment.

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The woman’s daughter has also testified about the incident. She visited her mother the day before the assault and could confirm that the genital area was not shaved. When she later helped her mother on the toilet during the Christmas holidays, she noticed the pubic hair was almost entirely gone.

Both the daughter and daughter-in-law stated that the woman had never used to shave her genital area and that she had no hygienic problems that could have justified the action.

Had previously asked to shave another woman

One circumstance emphasized in the investigation is that Majidi, a week before the assault, had raised the issue of intimate shaving of another resident. This emerged in the testimony of a witness who previously worked as a nurse’s aide and was at that time a supervisor at the elderly center.

Majidi had asked her if there were disposable razors, as he believed another elderly woman’s genital area needed to be shaved for hygienic reasons. The nurse explained that intimate shaving was not part of care assistants’ duties and that any such measure had to be approved and assessed by a nurse. Majidi said he understood and moved on.

In the police interview, the nurse said she was thus very surprised when she learned what had happened after the holidays. She had understood that Majidi got her instructions, and did not consider his Swedish skills so lacking that any misunderstanding should have arisen.

Majidi denied in his police interview that he remembered the conversation. When confronted with the information, he responded:

– No, I’ve never heard of anything like that.

However, the district court finds the nurse’s account credible and considers it proven that Majidi already knew before the assault that intimate shaving was not something he could decide on himself.

Denied the crime – claimed he wanted to help

Throughout the court process, Majidi has denied any crime, but has admitted to using a razor on the woman’s genital area.

His version is that the woman herself had complained of itching and pain, and that he therefore suggested shaving. He claims she initially consented and that he stopped immediately when she said it hurt.

– I shaved with two strokes, she said ‘that’s enough, that’s enough, it hurts’. Then I stopped.

According to Majidi, it was only about helping the woman with hygiene. He also claimed that it was the first time he performed intimate shaving on any resident.

ALSO READ: Elderly woman raped in the toilet at Vännäs nursing home during Christmas

The nurse’s observations, however, contradict Majidi’s description of it being a very limited shave. She said the elderly woman’s genital area was almost completely shaved and that it must have taken some time to complete.

Majidi also tried to explain the woman’s distress by saying that elderly people often dislike showering.

– No, all elderly are like that when you shower them, they don’t want to shower.

He further stated that he did not perceive the woman as particularly upset. The district court concludes that Majidi’s explanations do not match the rest of the gathered evidence.

Pornographic images of elderly women on his phone

During the criminal investigation, police also examined Majidi’s mobile phone. There, they found very explicit pornographic images depicting elderly women’s genitals and anuses. Majidi nonetheless denied having any sexual interest in elderly women and offered other explanations as to why the images were on his phone.

Among other things, he said he searched for translations of different body parts in order to describe diseases that his children might get. Another explanation was that he was helping his wife with translations from her Swedish language studies.

The district court dismisses these explanations. In the ruling, they are described as obvious fabrications. According to the court, the only reasonable explanation is that Majidi himself actively sought out the images.

The court considers that the findings indicate he had a sexual interest in elderly women. This is relevant when assessing the sexual nature of the act, even though the court notes that proving a specific sexual motive is not required for the act to be punishable.

The woman’s illness complicated the investigation

The elderly woman’s illness made it difficult to conduct the criminal investigation. Because of her advanced age and Alzheimer’s, police used specially trained interviewers (usually for children) to question her. She had difficulty remembering and explaining all the details of the sequence of events.

The defense challenged her credibility, citing among other things that she had also accused other staff members of sexual assault—these allegations were later dropped. However, the court does not consider this to affect the case against Majidi.

The court emphasizes that the woman’s statements were mainly spontaneous and coherent, and that they are strongly supported by the nurse’s and relatives’ accounts. That Majidi himself admitted to at least starting the shaving is another important factor.

The court therefore finds, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he shaved the woman’s genitals against her will, caused her pain, and was aware that she did not consent.

Exploited the woman’s particularly vulnerable situation

The court determines that the shaving involved such lasting contact with the woman’s genitals that the act should be regarded as a sexual act under Swedish law. The court also finds no support that the act was medically necessary or justified within the framework of her care.

In determining the sentence, the court highlights several aggravating circumstances. The woman’s illness meant she was virtually unable to defend herself and also had difficulty recounting and explaining what she suffered after the fact.

The assault was also committed by a person responsible for her care and in whom she should have been able to trust. In addition, it happened in her own home, at the nursing home where she had recently moved in.

The court notes that the incident was relatively prolonged and that the woman was subjected to pain both during the shaving and afterwards. Overall, the severity of the crime is assessed at at least one year in prison.

One year in prison and damages

Qader Majidi, who has no prior convictions, is sentenced by Umeå District Court for sexual assault to one year in prison. He must also pay 73,200 kronor in damages to the woman, of which 70,000 kronor is for violation and 3,200 kronor for pain and suffering.

Majidi has already been dismissed from his position at Vännäs Elderly Center. The verdict was delivered on October 19 and can be appealed to the Court of Appeal for Upper Norrland by November 9.