Juliane Snekkestad considers appeal: "I'm not done with this case"

It's been a few days since the prosecution dropped the case against Marius Borg Høiby, but for Juliane Snekkestad, it's far from over. Quite the opposite. The young woman, who came forward with her experiences, is now fully focused on weighing up her next steps. "I'm not done with this case," she says.

It was last week that the Oslo public prosecutors' office decided to discontinue the investigation against Høiby. The decision came as a surprise to many, and not least to Snekkestad herself. She has always wanted the case to be heard in court, and strongly reacts to the prosecution now drawing a line under it.

Now, she is getting help from the high-profile lawyer John Christian Elden to review the possibilities for an appeal. "We're looking at whether there are grounds to appeal the dismissal, and we're also considering if a civil case might be an option," says Elden. He stresses that they are taking their time to go through the documents thoroughly before reaching a conclusion.

Reaction to statements

In the wake of the case being dropped, there have also been several statements that Snekkestad finds inappropriate. Among other things, some have commented that the case "shouldn't have been in the media." That really gets her fired up. "It's hurtful to hear people trivialising what I've been through. This is about something more than just a headline," she says.

She feels that many don't grasp the seriousness of it, and that coming forward has been a huge burden. "I knew it was going to be tough, but I hadn't anticipated having to also defend myself against attacks afterwards," she adds.

Weighing up several options

According to Snekkestad herself, she is determined to keep fighting. She wants to highlight what she believes are weaknesses in the investigation and the prosecution's assessment. Together with Elden, she is now looking at several avenues:

• Appeal to the Director of Public Prosecutions: First and foremost, they are considering appealing the dismissal to the Director of Public Prosecutions, in the hope that the case can be reopened.
• Civil claim for damages: If the appeal is unsuccessful, it might be relevant to bring a civil case to seek compensation for the alleged violations.
• Release of documents: Snekkestad is also considering requesting access to all the documents from the investigation, to be able to counter claims that have been made publicly.

"I have nothing to hide, and I want people to see what this is really about. Getting the truth out there is important to me," she says firmly.

Support from an unexpected quarter

Alongside the criticism that has come her way, Snekkestad has also received support from several quarters. Several women's rights organisations and individuals have reached out to express their sympathy. "It warms my heart to know there are people who see me and believe me. It gives me the strength to keep going," she says.

She says she is now trying to find a balance between fighting her corner and looking after her own health. "It's demanding, but I have good people around me. I know what I want, and I'm not giving up."

For Juliane Snekkestad, this is far from over. With Elden by her side and a clear plan for the way forward, she is now looking ahead. "I hope that through this, we can help others in similar situations to also dare to come forward. It's worth the fight," she concludes.