Report from RealStars’ volunteer activities in Stockholm

RealStars volunteer work in Stockholm continues during the fall with meetings and other outward activities. The planning for “Musikhjälpen” that is occuring in December this year has the theme “Kids are not for sale”.

On October 11th a combined introduction meeting and Fair Sex agent-course was held in Stockholm. During the teachings the participants got to find out how to go about to become a Fair Sex-agent on the internet, meaning a person of action that notices and reports indignity or report problematic sites. Those of us who participated got to learn about laws regarding indignity and assault on the internet. Then we had the opportunity to put our knowledge to the test through discussions a couple of situations that can occur between people on the internet, whether they should be categorized as a violation if the law, indignity or neither. A lot of the participants were surprised by how little they actually know about indignity and assault on the internet.

On EU’s antitraffickning-day, October 18th, RealStars brought to attention the campaign “CRS against purchasing sex” as a part of Business against trafficking that has its foundation in our vision to get more companies to strengthen their CRS-profiles. This through implementing a company policy against purchasing sex on company trips. We did this by standing outside a well known office complex in central Stockholm and handed out informative flyers about company policy against purchasing sex. We also interviewed multiple people that were moving in and around the office building regarding their views on the existing – or potential – standpoint against the purchase of sex on a company level. We know that today one fifth of swedes purchase sex during business trips, but even with this knowledge the swedish law regarding the purchase of sex does not include purchases occuring in other countries. For this reason it is important for companies themselves to take responsibility and contribute to a company environment embossed by Fair Sex, sex on equal terms – and in the long run a society embossed by equality and justice.

On November 8th there was a volunteer meeting with newly engaged volunteers and we wished them a warm welcome to RealStars. During this meeting we discussed how one could with their competence and knowledge best support the organisation.

In December “Musikhjälpen” on P3 and SvtPlay is beginning and this years oh so important theme “Kids are not for same” is something we do not want to miss bringing to attention. Victims of human trafficking are both adults and children and the victims of people purchasing sex in other countries are both adults and minors. To stop this trafficking of children and protect their right to a freedom and safety it is needed to stand up even taller against the purchasing of sex overall and maybe even more so in other countries, not seldom on business trips. During “Musikhjälpen’s” week RealStars is therefore going to focus on this campaign in the public space.