RealStars’ presence at the Book Fair has become an annual and successful tradition, often with different themes. In 2019, we highlighted the 20th anniversary of the Swedish Sex Purchase Act, and in 2022, we focused on our Happy Ending campaign. This year, we raised awareness about the concerning rise in “sex purchases” during fairs and major events. As in past years, we held our popular book lottery and sold nearly 600 tickets.
At the Book Fair, we also emphasized that the demand for paid sexual exploitation is the single biggest reason prostitution and sex trafficking exist. Our booth featured a large poster that read, “How many sex buyers did you walk past today? 1 in 10 men has bought sex.” This statistic caused many visitors to stop and reflect in dismay.
The book lottery was a hit again this year! Our favorite authors and their publishers generously donated many wonderful books — a huge thank you to all of them! We offered six rounds of lotteries with three different themes for visitors to choose from: novels, thrillers/crime fiction, and non-fiction/biographies. Many of the books tackled important social issues such as sexual exploitation, gender equality, feminism, and domestic violence. Some of the titles included Allt vi inte ser by Ida Östensson and Thor Rutgersson, Doften av Kardemumma by Beatrice Samuelsson, Vargen by Katarina Wennstam, Sweet Lolita by Kicki Sehlstedt, and Varat och Varan by Kajsa Ekis Ekman. We also raffled off our stylish Fair Fucking Sex t-shirts.
Christine (from RealStars’ Stockholm Nomination Committee), Tekla (intern at RealStars Gothenburg), and Maria (active member) were present in the RealStars booth, spreading the message of Fair Sex.
Gustaf, a visitor at the fair, expressed that RealStars’ work is incredibly important, particularly in addressing issues related to Thai massage parlors.
During the fair, we also achieved our goal of gaining at least 20 new members! Many people also signed up for our newsletter, started following us on social media, picked up informational materials and membership forms, and showed a strong interest in spreading the word further.
Authors Ida Östensson and Thor Rutgersson with their book Allt vi inte ser, one of the prizes in RealStars’ book lottery.
This year, we introduced a talk at the RealStars booth featuring author and journalist Helena Björk alongside RealStars’ Secretary General Malin Roux Johansson. Helena discussed her book Socialt oacceptabelt, a report on Swedish prostitution policies that highlights the lack of adequate support for individuals exploited in prostitution. Malin discussed RealStars’ efforts to combat the demand for paid sexual exploitation, including advocacy within the EU and campaigns against digital brothels, which serve as a driving force for prostitution and hinder progress in other areas.
Malin explained, “It’s a significant challenge that we are unable to take action against these sites, even though we have laws against pimping and the purchase of sex. Over the past few months, I’ve been working to ensure that the EU’s anti-trafficking directive addresses the issues and loopholes that these site owners exploit, particularly the varying prostitution laws across EU countries.”
The discussion offered valuable insights into the state of prostitution in Sweden today, highlighting gaps in societal support, current challenges, and potential solutions. Malin and Helena both emphasized the need to complement the Sex Purchase Act with stronger support systems for individuals exploited in prostitution, including exploring the implementation of Exit programs. The conversation was moderated by RealStars’ Chairperson, Torbjörn Johansson.
Malin Roux Johansson and Helena Björk during the discussion at the RealStars booth, moderated by RealStars’ Chairperson, Torbjörn Johansson.
The Book Fair provided an excellent opportunity to share our message about Fair Sex with a diverse audience. We engaged with a wide range of people, including young adults, retirees, authors, teachers, police officers, and social workers, all of whom showed interest in RealStars’ initiatives. There was particularly strong interest in RealStars’ school lectures, and we made several valuable connections for future collaborations.
A huge thank you to all our volunteers and new members. See you again next year!
RealStars intern Tekla with Delphine Cartier, author of Pusspussel, a children’s book about consent.
Beatrice Samuelsson with her novel Doften av Kardemumma and RealStars’ Secretary General, Malin Roux Johansson. Doften av Kardemumma was one of the books featured in our book lottery.
“I believe this work is incredibly important. The concept of purchasing sex is absolutely appalling.” – Lina, a new RealStars member, at our booth during the Book Fair.