
‘We are here to teach these boys they must learn to behave,’ says Siri Bernhardsson as she patrols the swimming pool wearing a bikini.

‘We are tired of men thinking they can come to Sweden and molest women when all we want is to be left in peace to swim without being felt up.’

Siri, 24, an assistant nurse, is one quarter of the ‘Groping Guards’ – an all-girl, bikini-clad vigilante group who monitor the swimming baths around Kalmar, Sweden, to stop women from being molested by young migrant men.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Siri revealed: 'Loads of women write to us and say that they have been groped by young men.

Groping Guards: These are the bikini-clad vigilantes of Kalmar, Sweden, who have begun patrolling swimming pools to stop sex attacks

On patrol: Leader Siri Bernhardsson (left) launched the group after hearing of a wave of sexual assaults across Europe on New Year's Eve. Pictured, Siri Bernhardsson and patrol member Lotta Stenberg (right)

'It happens at concerts, in train stations and in swimming pools. Most of the victims feel ashamed and don't report it to the police. We know that there have been attacks in our swimming pool that have not been reported.

'They have been forced to separate men from women in the jacuzzis because of all the attacks. That should not happen in 2016 in Sweden.'

In Kalmar, a sleepy town south of Stockholm with 65,000 people, 34 asylum centres have already opened with more planned to come with the 6,000 new arrivals.

The Groping Guards have patrolled two swimming pools in the area, Äventyrsbadet, in Kalmar, and Simhallen, in Nybro, a village or suburb just outside Kalmar.

On New Year’s Eve in the town’s main square at least 15 young women reported being groped by migrants in scenes similar to those in Cologne.

Kalmar’s police spokesman Johan Brunn described how groups of men 'formed rings around the girls and started molesting them'.

'They grabbed their breasts and genitals,' he told MailOnline. 'In some cases they tried to drag girls into a waiting car, but luckily those girls escaped.'

In the town’s leisure centre five women since October have reported being groped in their swimsuits by asylum seekers – but many more incidents go unreported, police say.

Vigilant: The group patrol two swimming pools in the municipality of Kalmar - Äventyrsbadet, in the town, and Simhallen, in Nybro, a village or suburb just outside of Kalmar. The pictures are taken in both locations

Fierce: Even in the small town of Kalmar, there are now 34 asylum centres and even more are on their way. Pictured, the Groping Guard patrol their town's swimming pool

Protection: As well as patrol the pool to try to catch molesters in the act, the group talk to female swimmers and warn them about the risks

Kalmar Police spokesman Ulf Karlsson told MailOnline: 'Last year we had a few incidents in the jacuzzi and a couple in the swimming pools. But when you talk about these kind of crimes there are always a lot of incidents that go unrecorded.

'The ones who have been attacked might feel ashamed and keep what has happened to themselves.'

But the rising tide of attacks prompted assistant nurse Siri and her fellow ‘Groping Guards’ to take action and protect female swimmers.

'I read about what had happened at the swimming centre in Stockholm and wanted to keep the women in Kalmar safe from this,' she said.

'That is why we started patrolling the swimming pools. The place where women are most exposed.

‘Swimming pools have become prime hunting grounds in Europe for gangs of men looking to prey on vulnerable women,’ she added.

Across Europe the number of women being attacked in swimming pools are increasing.

Watchful eye: After hearing about the New Year's Eve assaults, Siri tried to rally support for organisations who help sexual assault victims

Presence: But the 24-year-old Siri soon struck on the idea of a more hands-on approach, by protecting the women in the swimming pools around Kalmar

Helping hand: Several other women have already joined Siri in her crusade, including Ella Sjoberg (left) and Malin Gustafsson (right)

Powerful: The group, which has become a big talking point in the small town, wants to show that women aren't just victims to be targeted

Kalmar Police spokesman Ulf Karlsson told MailOnline: 'Last year we had a few incidents in the jacuzzi and a couple in the swimming pools. But when you talk about these kind of crimes there are always a lot of incidents that go unrecorded.

'The ones who have been attacked might feel ashamed and keep what has happened to themselves.'

But the rising tide of attacks prompted assistant nurse Siri and her fellow ‘Groping Guards’ to take action and protect female swimmers.

'I read about what had happened at the swimming centre in Stockholm and wanted to keep the women in Kalmar safe from this,' she said.

'That is why we started patrolling the swimming pools. The place where women are most exposed.

‘Swimming pools have become prime hunting grounds in Europe for gangs of men looking to prey on vulnerable women,’ she added.

Across Europe the number of women being attacked in swimming pools are increasing.

In January a German leisure centre became the first in the country to ban all migrants after a schoolgirl was sexually assaulted in a public swimming pool by Syrian teenagers.

Three Syrian boys were arrested earlier this month over the attack at a leisure centre in Munich as the country grapples with growing concerns about sex crimes perpetrated by asylum seekers

In response to growing concerns, a leisure centre in Bornheim, North Rhine-Westphalia, has now barred all migrants.

The ban also follows an attack by an 18-year-old refugee on a 54-year-old woman in Bornheim, where he had grabbed her by the private parts and tried to kiss her.

In Stockholm, at the city's largest aquatics centre, Eriksdalsbadet, there have been 25 incidents reported since last January.

The city has seen a spike in sexual assaults, and Swedish police have resorted to sending undercover officers into swimming pools in an attempt to halt the rising numbers.

In January a number of girls reported being sexually assaulted by young male asylum seekers at a public swimming pool in central Stockholm.

The four cases all involved girls under the age of 18, who claim they were sexually assaulted by migrant teenage boys at Eriksdalsbadet, the biggest aquatics centre in Stockholm.

Another case which send shock-waves across the continent saw a ten-year-old boy raped by a 20-year-old Iraqi migrant in a swimming pool in Austria.

The attacker claimed he raped the boy because he had 'too much sexual energy' and it was a 'sexual emergency.

Problem: The women in the Groping Guard say that one of the biggest obstacles in tackling the issue is that no one wants to talk about it

In response to the attacks, copycat ‘Groping Guards’ are patrolling swimming baths in at least four towns - including Stockholm.

Siri's friend and fellow guard Ella Sjoberg, 28, revealed: ‘When I was 16 and went to the swimming pool, you could see creepy old men staring.

'But for a 16-year-old girl today it is different. They are attacked by groups of boys. They charge them into corners which is totally disrespectful and must terrify them.

'Everyone knows that these attacks started after a lot of immigrants came to Sweden and everyone knows who the perpetrators are, but we can't really talk about the problem here in Sweden.'

Vulnerable: By not discussing the issue, the women say, Sweden is only making the problem of integration even more difficult to address

Determined: Managers of the Äventyrsbadet swimming pool in Kalmar say that numbers of visitors have dropped since the women started patrolling there

Outrage: Siri, however, claims that the numbers at the swimming pool have fallen because young women don't feel safe there anymore

'Integration is the most important issue we have to deal with in Sweden. But no one is talking about it.

'How will anyone be able to solve any problems if they are not discussed?'

But the Groping Guards are not welcomed by everyone in Kalmar – and the swimming pool manager has objected to their presence, claiming they make people feel unsafe, and that the number of swimmers has dropped since they started patrols.

'I can't believe they said that,' Siri retorted.

'The number of visitors has probably declined because young women don't feel safe here anymore and we are here to make that stop.

'If we organise this patrol perhaps we can address that this is a big problem in Sweden, and more women in Sweden would be willing to stand up and say "this is not okay, I am reporting you to the police".