The End of May Marked Annual Meeting Season – On May 28 and 30, RealStars Sverige and RealStars Stockholm held their annual meetings to review the impactful work of 2023. These events have inspired change in Fair Sex initiatives and provided a platform for essential discussions. The evenings began with insightful presentations, setting the stage for future advocacy and transformation. The gatherings successfully brought together members and board representatives.
At RealStars Sverige’s annual meeting, two impactful presentations were delivered. The first was by Robert Schenck, who has served as RealStars’ reviewer for ten years, evaluating more than 30 books, films, and plays. RealStars General Secretary Malin Roux Johansson engaged Robert in a discussion on various perspectives, exploring how prostitution has been portrayed by writers and filmmakers in recent years. A key topic was the role of pop culture in spreading myths about the sex industry and the importance of narratives that dismantle these misconceptions. One particularly praised work was Paid For: My Journey Through Prostitution by survivor and journalist Rachel Moran. Robert’s reviews can be found on RealStars’ website.
The second speaker was Tekla Glaser, who interned with RealStars in fall 2023 and shared her personal experience with prostitution. At 18, Tekla was drawn into prostitution and succeeded in escaping nine years later, largely thanks to being placed in foster care where she received help, support, and motivation to rebuild her life. Tekla emphasized that digital brothels have made it far too easy for young people to enter prostitution and for perpetrators to find individuals to exploit.
At RealStars Stockholm’s annual meeting, board member Jenny Östberg opened the session with an episode from the series Sugarbabe, illustrating how young people can easily become entangled in sugar dating. Jenny also presented findings from a report by Ellencentret, summarizing a year of support work for individuals aged 15–25 exposed to sexual exploitation. The report, titled Girls Exposed to Prostitution and Exploitation: Youth Experiences, Support, and Psychological Treatment, provided key insights.
Board member Julia Mo Eriksson addressed the absence of victim status for individuals affected by the crime of “purchasing sexual services” and its legal consequences. Without victim status, individuals in prostitution are treated as witnesses, often denied access to legal counsel and the ability to claim damages for the offense.
RealStars extends heartfelt thanks to outgoing board members for their dedicated service and warmly welcomes the new members. The organization begins a new board term with a focus on spreading awareness, building engagement, and enlisting more support in the fight against prostitution and human trafficking.
REALSTARS SVERIGE BOARD
Torbjörn Johansson, teacher at Angeredsgymnasiet (Chair); Tomas Bergqvist, professional in technology and telecom; and new members Johanna Wallertz, officer at the Migration Agency and former process leader for RealStars Sverige; Malin Säflund, communicator and project manager at Prinsparets Stiftelse and former process leader for RealStars Stockholm; Per Englund, police officer specializing in human trafficking since 2004, with international experience and work at NOA; and Kalle Malmstedt, senior marketing and communications strategist with a background in journalism.
REALSTARS STOCKHOLM BOARD
Malin Roux Johansson, Chair and General Secretary of RealStars with a background in communication, leadership, and human rights; Julia Mo Eriksson, lawyer specializing in sexual crimes and domestic violence; Jenny Östberg, coordinator with a master’s degree in human rights; and new members Tommy Evin, entrepreneur and sustainability consultant with expertise in social anthropology and hospitality; Per Egnell, business developer and sales coach; Ewa Svensson, event project manager passionate about women’s and children’s rights with nonprofit experience; and Peter Modestij, screenwriter and director whose works have been featured at Cannes and Sundance, with a focus on social issues.
