Opinion piece: Expelling prostitutes is punishing the victims

In 1999, Sweden became the first country in the world to criminalize the purchase of sex. The background was a government investigation where the investigators followed and interviewed women in prostitution for several years.

The investigation concluded that the women were generally in a very vulnerable situation and that buying sex was an exploitation of this. The sex buyers wanted sex, the women wanted food and shelter, and to get that they were forced to sell their bodies.

Obtaining sex by exploiting a woman who has no other option to survive is abuse. As with other types of violence, the perpetrator should be criminalized while the victim should be supported and protected.

Against this backdrop, the Sex Purchase Act was introduced, and countries such as Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Canada, Israel and France have followed suit. While they are learning from us and developing the Swedish model, Sweden now risks going back twenty years.

From the so-called Tidö Agreement:

“Anyone who is in Sweden and enjoys Swedish hospitality has a duty to show respect in relation to fundamental Swedish values and not to act in contempt of the population. An inquiry should therefore be commissioned to analyze the conditions for reintroducing the possibility of expelling foreigners of bad character.”

Examples of ‘bad behaviour’ include non-compliance with rules, participation in violent or extremist organizations, substance abuse and prostitution. This formulation equates victims of crime with criminals, which undermines the view of prostitution as violence.

While those caught buying sex get away with suspended sentences and daily fines, Sweden now wants to punish women in prostitution and trafficking with one of the harshest penalties in the law: deportation.

What comes next? What punishment should be given to women who are victims of domestic violence? How blameworthy is a raped woman? Or is it only certain victims who should be marginalized?

This scheme will reduce women’s incentives to testify and to receive support. It will be more difficult, if not impossible, for the police to prosecute sex buyers.

It needs to be ensured that victims have access to support and protection in accordance with Sweden’s international convention commitments. In the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Sweden has signed that trafficking in human beings is a violation of human rights and a violation of human dignity and integrity.

The use of violence as a basis for deportation is unreasonable. The words ‘bad character’ should never be used for women whose bodies are sold and exploited, rather it should describe the men who choose to commit these acts of violence.

The most vulnerable are these women, who are often forced to meet ten men a day who recklessly use their bodies and difficult situation. Those who sell sex are often beaten and raped, many living with complex traumatization for the rest of their lives.

It is about women victims of violence who are forced to live every day in a world where crimes against them are a passing news item, if that.

Under the current proposal, women will be punished while the men who committed the crimes will be fined, if at all.

The Liberals’ Johan Pehrson writes on Twitter that the Tidö Agreement shows that a vote for the Liberals is a vote for gender equality. The wording of the Tidö agreement points to the opposite for women and girls who are exposed to prostitution.

Women’s rights apply to all women. As written, the Tidö Agreement contradicts the principle of women’s human rights.

Clara Berglund, Secretary General of the Swedish Women’s Organizations
Emma Persson, lawyer
Gabriella Kärnekull Wolfe, Ombudsman against commercial sexual exploitation of children
Ida Östensson, Head of Communication and Advocacy Child10
Jacob Flärdh, Chairman of the Swedish Civil Platform against Human Trafficking
Madeleine Forsén, responsible for the work against human trafficking Rescue Mission
Madeleine Sundell, human rights lawyer
Malin Roux Johansson, Secretary General Real Stars
Maria Melkersson, Chairman Rosenlundstödet
Olga Persson, President Unizon
Saga Brodersen, Board Member and Coordinator Not Your Whore
Silvia Ingolfsdottir Åkermark, lawyer
Wiveca Holst, National Organization for Women’s and Girls’ Shelters in Sweden
Zandra Kanakaris, Secretary General 1000 opportunities

 

Read the article in Aftonbladet here.