In this article the intrinsic relation between the formal and the informal aspects of rape trials in Sweden will be scrutinized and discussed, for two main reasons (that are intertwined). Firstly, rape cases are characterized by a word-against-word situation, with few other forms of evidence, and with a rate of convictions much lower than for other criminal cases. The fact that the parties’ statements are placed at the core of the presentation and assessment of the evidence leaves much scope for argumentation about normality, rationality, logic and common sense. Secondly, rape trials have been subject to a significant amount of critique, in public as well as in legal debate due to gendered stereotypes, assumptions about autonomy, objectivity, ideal victims, real rape etc.

The article aims to explore and shed some light on parts of the continuum of formality and informality in criminal trials in Sweden. By deconstructing rape trials through the lens of the emotion-sociological concept of empathy, the article contributes to deepened knowledge of the work performed by the legal actors in court in general and their work as empathic translators, in particular. We will focus on a specific part of the empathic process, namely emotion management to stage credible testimonies, in the sense that the stories told by the parties and/or witnesses are framed and presented by legal professionals in court as if they have been acting and reacting normal, natural, reasonable and rational.

We present the analysis of the intrinsic relationship between the formal framework and the informal work performed by the legal actors, by exploring how the legal concepts are embodied in stories from everyday life in the trial, framed by the legal actors. The analysis includes a description of the stage at which these trials take place (the objectivity ideals and self-images) and the most important formal aspects and parts of the criminal and procedural regulation of rape trials. The article ends with final conclusions and reflections on the continuum of formality and informality in rape trials.

The material in the study from which this article derives consists of observations of 18 rape cases, including written judgments and interviews with legal professionals in these cases.

本文将审查和讨论瑞典强奸案审判的正式和非正式方面之间的内在关系，主要有两个原因（相互交织）。首先，强奸案的特点是口口相传，几乎没有其他形式的证据，定罪率远低于其他刑事案件。当事人的陈述被置于证据的陈述和评估的核心这一事实为关于正常性、合理性、逻辑和常识的争论留下了很大的余地。其次，由于性别刻板印象、关于自主性、客观性、理想受害者、真正的强奸等的假设，强奸审判在公开场合和法律辩论中受到了大量批评。

本文旨在探讨和阐明瑞典刑事审判中正式和非正式连续体的部分内容。通过从移情的情感社会学概念的角度解构强奸案审判，本文有助于加深对法律行为者在法庭上的一般工作，尤其是他们作为移情翻译的工作的了解。我们将专注于同理心过程的一个特定部分，即情绪管理以提供可信的证词，从某种意义上说，当事人和/或证人讲述的故事是由法律专业人士在法庭上构架和呈现的，就好像他们一直在表演和反应正常、自然、合理、理性。

我们通过探讨法律概念如何体现在审判中由法律行为者构建的日常生活故事中，对正式框架与法律行为者进行的非正式工作之间的内在关系进行了分析。分析包括对这些审判发生的阶段的描述（客观理想和自我形象）以及强奸审判的刑事和程序规定的最重要的正式方面和部分。文章以最终结论和对强奸审判中正式和非正式连续体的反思作为结尾。

本文的研究材料包括对 18 起强奸案的观察，包括对这些案件的书面判决和与法律专业人士的访谈。