In recent years, the police have been forced to allocate increasing resources to combat gang crime, which has led to a deprioritization of efforts against human trafficking for sexual exploitation. Human trafficking units have been disbanded, while the number of prosecutions and convictions has reached record low levels. Human Trafficking Units Disbanded In an article… Read more »
Sexhandel och trafficking i Europa
RealStars mobilizes against exploitation on the EU’s Anti-Trafficking Day
From the top left: The staff at Clarion Hotel Post, informational material on the tables at Clarion Hotel Amaranten, Camilla Hannen, front desk manager at H. Lorensberg, RealStars Stockholm process leader Malin Säflund at the information desk at Clarion Hotel Amaranten. On the bottom row: Jennie Wennberg, front desk manager at Q.H. Waterfront, materials at… Read more »
EU negotiates: high time to address online brothels
In 2023, the EU faces a crossroads with a chance to strengthen its work against trafficking. Europe remains divided on views of prostitution, and many stakeholders aim to influence the EU’s anti-trafficking efforts, as these two harmful phenomena are closely interconnected. The shared tool is the EU’s 2011 anti-trafficking directive, which introduced a holistic approach… Read more »
International Conference Against Demand in Stockholm
As part of Sweden’s presidency in the EU, a two-day conference on human trafficking was held on March 29-30, focusing on addressing the demand that drives exploitation. The conference brought together European ministers, delegates, experts from civil society, representatives from international organizations, and survivors to discuss models that can be used to prevent human trafficking… Read more »
Debate article in Dagens Arena: Open letter to the Government of Sweden from the world’s abolitionist women’s organizations
On March 29-30, Sweden, as the EU’s presiding country, gathers European ministers, delegates, and experts in Stockholm for a two-day conference on human trafficking. We, women’s organizations from various countries, welcome the Swedish government’s pledge to intensify the work of preventing and combating prostitution and human trafficking within and beyond Sweden’s borders. Human trafficking is… Read more »
EU Directive Revisions Insufficient to Meet Goals
The EU’s 2011 Anti-Trafficking Directive1 has been instrumental in preventing and addressing human trafficking across Europe. Following an evaluation, the European Commission proposed on December 19, 2022, a strengthening of these regulations, aiming to equip law enforcement and judicial bodies with enhanced tools to investigate and prosecute emerging forms of exploitation. The Commission’s proposal includes,… Read more »
RealStars launches Happy Ending – A new campaign aimed at combating paid sexual abuse
The campaign website for Happy Ending is now live. A glance at the website gives those seeking to purchase sexual exploitation something to reflect on, as it reclaims the original meaning of the term. RealStars’ goal is to engage a wide audience in working toward a zero-tolerance vision, where no one is subjected to sexual… Read more »
Visa and Mastercard takes a stand against sexual exploitation
Debit-card companies can make it more difficult for the sex trade or facilitate it. Visa and Mastercard have taken a stand against the “digital brothels”, most visibly for the porn website Pornhub, a website were rape on children, revenge porn and rough abuse on women has been normalized. Now, more payment services and social media… Read more »
Auction Against Trafficking – Feel free to donate something, together we can make a difference
As autumn arrives, it’s the perfect time to clear out your closet. Maybe find a new home for that unused lamp in the corner? Many of us have things tucked away in our wardrobes or attics – nice items we just don’t use. This past June, with the support of Therése Lindgren, Linda Pira, Otto… Read more »
Sweden and France in cooperation against demand
The impact of France latching on to Sweden’s proposal to pursue an international joint diplomacy against human trafficking for sexual exploitation and prostitution can’t be overestimated. “There are many benefits”. That is what Per-Anders Sunesson, Sweden’s former ambassador against human trafficking between 2016 and 2021, also a board member in Realstars Sweden, is saying. In… Read more »