Baneheia Case - Legacy

Legacy

The case traumatized the Norwegian society, and making headlines for several consecutive months. The crime created great anger in the Sørlandet district and across Norway, so much that one early suspect, a formerly convicted murderer, had to flee his home and sleep outside in a tent out of fear of vigilante violence. Andersen's lawyer Ben Fegran had to seek police protection after receiving multiple death threats from vigilantes.

Ten years after the murders, the name 'Baneheia' is still synonymous with the crime. On the first anniversary for the murders, a huge outdoor memorial service was held in Sørstrønens hometown of Grimstad. Artists including Bjørn Eidsvåg, a-ha, Asgeir Borgemoen, Ole Edvard Antonsen and Morten Harket celebrated the victims' lives from the scene at a majestic granite quarry in Fjæreheia.

The mother of Sørstrønen, Ada Sofie Austegard founded Stine Sofies Stiftelse (lit: Stine-Sofie's Foundation), a charitable foundation that will fight to preserve the rights of children when they are exposed to violence and sex crimes, as well as work to increase the minimum penalty for child abuse. She has ever since been active in promoting laws to protect children on the national level.

Campaigning for "A childhood without violence", the foundation has been credited with the remarkable improvements in child protection in Norway. Sponsoring among others legislation guaranteeing children the right to a puclic attorney in cases where they are victims of violent or sexual crimes.