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 a significant and growing problem in Europe, with prostitution being the most common form of trafficking. Among those affected, 87 percent are women, of which girls represent 27 percent. Common countries of origin include Nigeria, Colombia, and Romania. Since Russia’s war against Ukraine started, an increasing number of Ukrainian women have also been lured into sex trafficking. Furthermore, sex trafficking is a form of transnational organized crime that is closely connected to other gang-related crimes.
Sweden was the first country in the world to criminalize the purchase of sexual services in 1999, while continuing to decriminalize women in prostitution. Therefore, the blame was shifted from vulnerable women to “sex” purchasers and pimps. The law against buying sex changed Swedish attitudes towards prostitution and reduced the demand for prostitution and human trafficking. Internationally, this approach is described as the Equality Model. In recent years, an increasing number of countries, such as France, Canada, and Israel, have adopted similar legislation.
However, the fight against human trafficking cannot be led by a few isolated countries; it requires global cooperation. Thus, it is important for Sweden, together with like-minded member states, to continue mobilizing more countries in the fight against human trafficking for sexual purposes. The diplomatic collaboration between Sweden and France regarding human trafficking must continue and expand. Sweden’s global ambassador against human trafficking plays a vital role in this work and is appreciated by the women’s movement worldwide. This position should therefore be made permanent and provided with adequate resources. It is also crucial to stand on the same side as and particularly support the women’s organizations that are rescuing women and girls from sex trafficking worldwide, despite facing significant resistance. These organizations should be prioritized in aid to Ukraine and other countries.
While the conference is ongoing, two important EU directives concerning trafficking and men’s violence against women are being negotiated. We hope that Sweden, which is leading the negotiations, will do its utmost to ensure that EU member states agree to take action against the demand for prostitution.
Around the world, there is a backlash against the rights of women and girls, particularly regarding issues surrounding the exploitation of women’s bodies. This is evident, among other things, in the way various UN bodies describe prostitution as a form of work rather than a violation of women’s human rights, in defiance of adopted conventions. It is concerning that Belgium has declared it will advocate for more countries to decriminalize sex work during its upcoming presidency. This is an affront to all women who are currently living with physical and psychological trauma from prostitution. The relativization of the trade in women’s bodies must cease and be met with a clear rejection. Sweden must stand firm on its legislation in all international contexts and assert that purchasing sex and pimping are forms of violence against women.
We place our hope in Sweden’s current government, just as we have with previous governments, to uphold the rights of women and girls to be free from being bought and sold.
Malin Roux Johansson, Founder and CEO, Realstars (Sweden)
Kathy Chambers, Campaign Director, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Australia
Dr. Jocelynne A. Scutt, Chair, Women Worldwide Advancing Freedom and Equality (Australia)
Dr. Tegan Larin, Expert, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Australia
Eleni Karaoli, Cyprus Women’s Lobby
Eirini Mavronikola, Socialist Women Movement (Cyprus)
Maria Koushiou, Chair, Spavos Cyprus
Susana Elisa Pavlou, Executive Director, Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (Cyprus)
Pia Rendic, Executive Director, Vapauta Uhri ry (Finland)
Cherie Jimenez, Founder, EVA Center (USA)
Toni Van Pelt, President, West Pinellas National Organization for Women (USA)
Autumn Burris, Founder, Survivors for Solutions (USA)
Dr. Gail Dines, Founder and Chair, Culture Reframed (USA)
Melissa Holland, Founder and CEO, Awaken (USA)
Dorchen A. Leidholdt, Executive Director, Sanctuary for Families (USA)
Rachel Moran, International Director, International Centre on Sexual Exploitation (USA)
Dr. Maria Decker, Chair, SOLWODI Deutschland e.V. (Germany)
Virginia Wangare Greiner, Chair, Maisha African Women in Germany
Prof. Dr. Godula Kosack, Chair, Terre des femmes e.v. (Germany)
Annabell Brosi, Ina Hansmann, Marie Kaltenbach, Simone Kleinert, Steering Committee, Bündnis Nordisches Modell (Germany)
Catherine Goldmann, Project Manager, Fondation Scelles (France)
Céline Thiebault-Martinez, Chair, CLEF (France)
Yves Scelles, Chair, Fondation Scelles (France)
Laure Caille, Chair, Libres Mariannes (France)
Claire Desaint, Vice Chair, Réussir l’égalité femmes-hommes (France)
Michèle Vianès, Chair, Regards de Femmes (France)
Monique Dental, Marie-Josée Salmon, Bernard Bosc, Réseau Féministe “Ruptures” (France)
Lilian Halls-French, Vice Chair, Initiative Féministe EuroMed IFE-EFI (France)
Irene Fereti, Chair, Greek League for Women’s Rights
Esohe Aghatise, Executive Director, Associazione IROKO Onlus (Italy)
Maria Ludovica Bottarelli Tranquilli-Leali, Secretary General, Italian Coordination of the European Women’s Lobby
Chiara Carpita, Resistenza Femminista (Italy)
Ruchira Gupta, Founder, Apne Aap (India)
Benson, Executive Director, Women’s Aid (Ireland)
Barbara Condon, CEO, Ruhama (Ireland)
Julie Swede, Acting Executive Director, Space International (Ireland)
Linda MacDonald & Jeanne Sarson, Persons Against Non-State Torture (Canada)
Nela Pamukovic, Women’s Network of Croatia and Centre for Women War Victims
Iluta Lace, Chair, MARTA Centre (Latvia)
Eglė Puidokaitė, Communications Director, Klaipeda Social and Psychological Support Centre (Lithuania)
Kristina Mišinienė, Executive Director, Center Against Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Lithuania)
Anna Borg, Founder, Malta Women’s Lobby
Mta. Teresa C. Ulloa Ziáurriz, Regional Director, Regional Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and Girls in Latin America and the Caribbean (CATWLAC) (Mexico)
Agnete Strøm, Responsible for International Affairs, Women’s Front of Norway
Malgorzata Tarasiewicz, Chair, Network of East-West Women, NEWW (Poland)
Ana-Sofia Fernandes, Chair, Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights
Nana Mallet, Founder, End Demand Switzerland
Mima Misljenovic, Legal Expert, Autonomous Women’s Center (Serbia)
Polona Kovac, Chair, Society Ključ – Centre for Fight against THB (Slovenia)
Teresa Nevado Bueno, Secretary General, LEM España (Spain)
Anna Fisher, Chair, Nordic Model Now! (UK)
Dr. Annette Lawson, Chair, The Judith Trust (UK)
Lynda Dearlove, CEO, women@thewell (UK)
Build A Girl (UK)
Gertrud Åström, Chair, Women’s Baltic Peacebuilding Initiative (Sweden)
Zandra Kanakaris, Secretary General, 1000 Möjligheter (Sweden)
Olga Persson, Chair, Unizon (Sweden)
Susannah Sjöberg, Chair, Sweden’s Women’s Organizations
Maria M. Dmytriyeva, CEO, National Council of Women of Ukraine and Democracy Development Center
Réka Sáfrány, Chair, Hungarian Women’s Lobby
Caroline Sander, Investigator, Herzwerk (Austria)
Brigitte Hofmann-Muzik, Founder, Verein Feministischer Diskurs, Initiative StoppSexkauf (Austria)
Marie Josèphe Devillers, Chair, The International Coalition for the Abolition of Surrogacy
Noura Raad & Chiara Parolin, Vice Chair, European Network of Migrant Women
Viviane Teitelbaum, Chair, European Center of the International Council of Women
Read the debate article in Dagens Arena here.