Page 4138 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 26 November 2014
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We also met with Anna Skarhed, the Chancellor of Justice, who described her job as something like an uber ombudsman. Chancellor Skarhed, over the period 2008 to 2010, investigated Sweden’s purchase of sex laws. Her review found that there was strong public support, consistently 70 per cent, compared to 30 per cent when the laws were passed. There was no evidence of a more rapid increase in internet prostitution in Sweden than in similar countries like Norway and Denmark. There was a huge “normative effect” caused by the law. While the law had not eliminated sex trafficking, there was a strong law that functioned as a protection from major trafficking. There was no evidence of any increased violence against women. The review recommended a permanent, long-term government strategy and consistent investment to continue to achieve these results.
We also met with Patrik Cederlof, the national coordinator against prostitution and trafficking; Hans Lundborg, the ambassador-at-large for Sweden on human trafficking; and Petra Ostergren, an author and PhD candidate who is currently researching why Sweden is opposed to commercial sex. She is an outspoken critic of the law and believes that Sweden is a “progressive utopia” and these laws are discordant with Swedish ways. One of the arresting comments made by Ms Ostergren was that “men did not want to have sex with trafficked women”. When pressed on this statement, she said that she “hoped” that this was the case.
We also met with representatives of Swedish women’s organisations and social workers, and we visited the Skogsbo Centre, clearly the most beautiful women’s shelter that you have ever seen.
Sweden’s prohibition on sex purchasing came into force in 1999 after the passage of the violence against women act. It was a cobbled-together coalition at the time, but since then support has grown and every party in the Swedish parliament now supports the law. Every official encountered admitted that trafficking had not been considered when the legislation came into effect, and in fact Sweden did not have anti-trafficking laws until 2002. However, it soon became clear that trafficking is less of a problem in Sweden than in other countries in Europe, and that is why France has adopted this model.
In London in early May, I had the opportunity to meet with Mary Honeyball, a Labour MEP, who had just steered a resolution through the European parliament proposing that the whole of Europe adopt the Swedish model for reform of prostitution. Our discussions centred on the passage of the resolution, and the views of supporters and opponents, and we had a general discussion on the disposition of parties and individuals in Australia on the adoption of the Swedish model. Ms Honeyball was disappointed to hear that the so-called progressive parties in Australia were largely supportive of prostitution.
I also met with Gavin Shuker MP, the Labour Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Prostitution and the Global Sex Trade, which recently published a report called Shifting the burden. The report highlighted that England’s prostitution laws were fragmented, uncoordinated and patchily implemented. They also recommended the adoption of the Swedish model and better coordination.
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