A Swedish delegation recently traveled to the United States, visiting New York and Philadelphia to present Sweden’s approach to combating prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation. The goal of the visit was to foster a knowledge exchange between the two countries, addressing areas such as legislation, legal frameworks, prevention strategies, and support systems for vulnerable groups—especially women and children in prostitution. RealStars had the opportunity to speak with Madeleine Sundell, a human rights lawyer and coordinator for the Salvation Army’s efforts against prostitution and human trafficking, who participated in the delegation.Q: How do you assess the situation in the USA right now?
A: The USA is an ambivalent country in crisis when it comes to human rights. On one hand, it has clear federal laws addressing human trafficking. On the other hand, when you examine the regional and local contexts, there are glaring gaps in fundamental areas. For instance, child protection is often inadequate, and prostitution is not acknowledged as part of men’s violence against women. This reflects deeper issues of sexism and racism, especially when you look at who is most vulnerable. Prostitution often has the face of a young Black girl and is tied to socio-economic vulnerability, homelessness, and substance abuse. I also noticed a significant lack of focus on children’s rights. The fact that the USA has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child is evident in its policies and practices.
Q: How is the interest in the Nordic Model/Equality Model?
A: I see a shift, and there is currently a great deal of interest. They were very engaged with our arguments and experiences, particularly in areas like police work and the potential for exit programs for vulnerable individuals—something we also continue to struggle with. There was significant focus on preventive efforts, such as public campaigns addressing demand and direct conversations with boys and men about the link between buying sex and human trafficking.
I believe there is growing interest at local and state levels. Many progressive Democratic politicians and civil society organizations, particularly those working closely with victims and survivors, are driving this change. It’s a positive trend, with survivor voices increasingly taking the lead in advocacy work. Legislative proposals inspired by the Nordic Model have been submitted in places like Baltimore, Pennsylvania, and New York. In New York, while the legislative process has stalled, they have effectively decided to implement a repressive approach modeled after Sweden’s. This means focusing on targeting sex buyers rather than criminalizing the women who are victims—unlike in other states, where both aspects of prostitution remain illegal.
Q: Who are the main actors driving the issue forward today for greater responsibility and to overcome impunity in crimes linked to sexual exploitation?
A: The main drivers are the many active, local civil society organizations, with survivors at the forefront, who have successfully inspired a few impactful politicians to champion the issue. Since prosecutors in the USA are politically elected, their role is also pivotal. Notably, the prosecutors in Manhattan have taken a bold stance by testing the Swedish model. I consider the representatives we met to be very brave. They have involved the NYPD in their efforts to experiment with Swedish methods targeting buyers. For instance, they confiscate mobile phones and even cars, as a significant portion of prostitution still occurs in the street environment, where cars often serve as the crime scene. They’ve already secured some important initial indictments, but it remains to be seen how this work will progress. The Manhattan representatives are optimistic about future legislation that could simplify the process across the state, making it less dependent on the commitment and courage of individual prosecutors.
Q: What lessons can Sweden take from the US justice system and its approach to combating sexual exploitation?
A: The US excels at fostering collaboration between civil society and local authorities. Since there are very few social agencies, most victim support comes from civil society, making the actors highly dependent on one another. Additionally, the FBI and national police have access to advanced technology and substantial financial resources that far exceed what we have in Sweden. At the local and state levels, we also encountered interesting methods aimed at reducing the burden on victims in the legal process. For example, human trafficking cases are sometimes prosecuted similarly to murder trials, where the focus is on building strong technical evidence rather than relying on the victim’s testimony in court. This approach is something we find impressive and would like to see implemented in Sweden. Many of our police investigations face challenges when victims of crime are unwilling to participate in trials, and this method could be a significant step forward in addressing that issue.
Thank you, Madeleine, for your vital work and for sharing the lessons learned from your trip.
The delegation also included Annika Svensson from the Swedish Police, Silvia Ingolfsdottir Åkermark—lawyer, plaintiff’s attorney, and founder of Brottsbyrån (eng. the Crime Bureau) —and Anna Ekstedt, Sweden’s ambassador against human trafficking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
