Critiques of Swedish Prostitution Law

 

In 1999 the Swedish Government criminalized the purchase of sexual services. This law has received much attention internationally, and the effects of this law have been debated in numerous contexts. While the Swedish government touts the success of this law, critics point to hypocrisies in these claims and to the conditions for prostitutes in Sweden. This site provides links to these critiques, and includes the actual text of most prostitution laws that affect prostitutes in Sweden as well as reports by the Swedish government. Please contact us if you have additional links to recommend.

Swedish Sex Workers Organization

SANS (Sexworkers and Allies Network in Sweden)

 

Sex Worker Rights Perspectives on Swedish Prostitution Laws

Lies about Sex Workers in Sweden by Isabella Lund

Sexworkers Critique of Swedish Prostitution Policy by Petra Östergren

Prostitution in Sweden: English Summary (from Flashback:Freedom of Speech)

One Swedish Sex Worker, Rosinha Sambo, provides first person account of effects of 1999 Swedish Prostitution Law on Sex Workers: Text or Audio

Queer Sexual Politics/Sex Radical Feminism

From Sweden's Flashback.net (Freedom of Speech, "use it or lose it!")

 

Conferences and Academic Papers

Report: Purchasing Sexual Services in Sweden and The Netherlands

Europap Conference Attendees Condemn Swedish Prostitution Laws

Nordic Prostitutes Conference Oct 27-28th 2004 Critiques Swedish Prostitution Laws

Johannes Eriksson, ROSEA, Sweden, und ICRSE - International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe, Amsterdam. Paper presented at Montreal Forum XXX

Conference on Male Prostitution in Sweden - Swedish Organisation for Sexual Education

Prostitution seen as Violence Against Women - A Supportive or Oppressive View? by Liv Jessen (Critique of Principles Behind Swedish Law)

 

Resources, Text of Laws and Swedish Government Papers

Text of 1999 Prostitution Law in Sweden

Other Laws Which Affect Prostitutes in Sweden

Sweden's Penal Code-download pdf

Sweden's Official Description of 1999 Prostitution Law

 

Media Reports and Critiques

Sweden's prostitutes ply their trade on the Net- 1/2003

How Could This Happen? Usenet Discussion: PC-ness the Swedish way

An assessment of Gunilla Ekberg’s account of Swedish prostitution policy by Vincent Clausen

 

Abolitionist Influences on Prostitution Criminalization

Prostitution seen as Violence Against Women - a supportive or oppressive view?- Liv Jessen (also read about Jessen's award from Amnesty International)

The New Abolitionists:Freeing 'sex slaves' is now at the top of the human rights agenda, thanks largely to Christian evangelicals. How did the anti-trafficking crusade evolve, and is it being overhyped?

Sex is Their Business: Attitudes to commercial sex are hardening but tougher laws are wrong in both principle and practice

Human Rights/Sex Worker Rights Projects

A common project to put sex workers rights back on the international agenda