On Friday, January 27th, a significant milestone was reached in the collaboration between RealStars and Thai massage salons. As the Växtkraft Thai inheritance project came to a close, the Happy Ending event spotlighted the issue of sex purchasing. The day brought together a variety of new stakeholders eager to support the target group, reflecting strong commitment to the cause. RealStars is now spearheading the launch of the Växtkraft Thai support network, aiming for a shared vision: the eradication of sexual exploitation and the promotion of a positive working environment within the industry.
RealStars organized a seminar for professionals who encounter in various ways issues related to prostitution and human trafficking. The attendees included representatives from civil society organizations, owners and employees of Thai massage salons, businesses, and Swedish authorities. Despite initial concerns about potential language and cultural barriers, the two-hour session, aided by an on-site interpreter, was highly successful and informative. Malin Roux Johansson presented RealStars’ work and the Växtkraft Thai project, while Jannicke Horgen from the Swedish Police and Jenny Holmberg from Mikamottagningen offered valuable insights into their respective operations. The participants showed great interest and commitment, raising questions about how they could contribute to efforts against the demand for “sex purchase” and engaging in thought-provoking discussions on the topic.
The day continued with a Happy Ending mingling event, open to all, held in the welcoming Living Room of Clarion Hotel Stockholm. The gathering attracted many people interested in the fight against sexual exploitation and featured engaging conversations, trial massages, Thai dance, and singer-songwriter performances. Despite a simple sound setup and a loose schedule, Malin guided the evening with a relaxed yet informative approach, giving several participants the chance to take the microphone and share insights about their work. A highlight of the evening was hearing from authors Joakim Medin, author of Thailandssvenskarna, and Jonas Trolle, author of Jakten på Kapten Klänning. Both provided unique perspectives on the mindset of men who purchase sex, discussing their research on prostitution both in Sweden and abroad. Additionally, it was important to hear from several women who own Thai massage salons in the Stockholm area, as they shared their experiences of running salons in Sweden. Thai Sabai and Sakura Thaimassage also offered rejuvenating trial massages to attendees.
We were delighted to make several connections on Friday with individuals, organizations, and companies interested in joining our future Växtkraft Thai Support Network, which will continue the work as the current project concludes. RealStars is also focused on developing new initiatives to support the target group. One such project is Kompetenskraft Thai, for which we are actively seeking a project owner and additional partners.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated, with a special note of gratitude to the Växtkraft Thai team and Clarion Hotel Stockholm for making this day possible.
