The fight against prostitution and human trafficking requires perseverance. As the founder of RealStars, I have seen doors open and close, and it would be interesting to visualize a timeline of progress and setbacks. Raising awareness has its benefits, but at the same time, we already know what should have been done yesterday. RealStars is one of the few organizations that actively work to reduce the demand that drives prostitution and human trafficking.
In October, we took several steps forward: we launched a new concept to counter demand that can be used for years to come, and we took a stand on the need for Gothenburg police to enforce the full potential of the sex purchase law. In just a few weeks in October, RealStars’ work was visible across Gothenburg. We launched the website sexuellexploatering.se, along with a campaign to highlight that buying sex is a serious crime that now carries a prison sentence. Through the ad “Buy Sex. Pay with Prison“, we reached both the general public and potential offenders via trams, using a QR code linking to the campaign site.
RealStars’ campaign “Buy Sex. Pay with Prison” was displayed on trams in Gothenburg.
As the leader of RealStars, I have been closely monitoring how the August 2022 reform of the sex purchase law would be implemented, as fines were removed from the penalty scale. Would we see prison sentences and a reduction in the demand for paid assaults? Unfortunately, as of today, we have seen very few prison sentences, and in most cases, the punishment has been a suspended sentence and 40 daily fines—even less than the previous standard of 50 daily fines.
Last summer, a shocking case emerged: Gothenburg police chose not to investigate sex buyers in a major pimping case, despite a list of 229 suspected sex buyers being used as evidence. It is hard to comprehend why the police would ignore the opportunity to prosecute buyers and prevent further sexual exploitation. This led to the publication of the opinion piece “Despite Tougher Penalties, Buying Sex Remains Virtually Risk-Free” in Göteborgs-Posten. In it, RealStars criticized the police in Region West, urging them to investigate the suspected cases of sex buying.
The sex purchase law must be taken seriously to protect victims and stop the men committing these crimes. The article also highlighted a systemic failure—that many sex buyers escape legal consequences—and reinforced our message that the law must be enforced to also undermine the profitability of human trafficking. As part of the campaign, we also collected signatures at the Gothenburg Book Fair and Frihamsdagarna. We will present our demands as a unified voice to the police in Region West and local courts. These events gave us the opportunity to engage with the public, spread information about our work, discuss social challenges, and mobilize people in the fight against sexual exploitation. It is never too late to get more people to take a stand, and these conversations fuel our perseverance!
As a leader and strategist at RealStars, I have realized that we must continue to evolve our methods. A key part of this is the launch of the campaign “Buy Sex. Pay with Prison“. This campaign has the potential to last for years, expand, and be adapted to new partnerships and regions. We aim to bridge a major gap in preventative efforts—the lack of information about the sex purchase law in public spaces. We need to increase awareness about human trafficking and the horrific abuses it entails. A rare exception was seen before Eurovision in Malmö, where authorities informed visitors that buying sex is illegal in Sweden. By being clear and bold—though it shouldn’t require courage—Sweden must do more to reach potential sex buyers and the general public. Too often, bystanders witness these crimes without action. One positive initiative worth mentioning is the Swedish Gender Equality Agency’s campaign “Don’t Let Silence Speak,” which takes a bystander perspective, encouraging young men to take a stand. However, this alone is not enough. More initiatives are needed, and stricter enforcement must be combined with measures based on research—which shows that the fear of prison and the social shame of being exposed to family and friends are the most effective deterrents for men engaging in these crimes.
That door has been open since August 2022, but real action is needed to protect people from sexual exploitation every day.
Malin Roux Johansson, Founder & Secretary General, RealStars
RealStars volunteer Susanne helped put up posters with a clear message for potential sex buyers.
