Author: Jordan, Ann
Title: The Swedish Law to Criminalize Clients: A Failed Experiment in Social Engineering
Summary: In 1999, the Swedish government embarked on an experiment in social engineering to end men’s practice of purchasing commercial sexual services. The government enacted a new law criminalizing the purchase (but not the sale) of sex (Swedish Penal Code). It hoped that the fear of arrest and increased public stigma would convince men to change their sexual behavior. The government also hoped that the law would force the estimated 1,850 to 3,000 women who sold sex in Sweden at that time to find another line of work. Lastly, the government hoped that the law would eliminate trafficking into forced prostitution and the presence of migrant sex workers. Not surprisingly, the experiment has failed. In the thirteen years since the law was enacted, the Swedish government has been unable to prove that the law has reduced the number of sex buyers or sellers or stopped trafficking.
Details: Washington, DC: Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law, Washington College of Law, American University, 2012. 17p.
Source: Issue Paper 4: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at
Year: 2012
Country: Sweden
URL:
Shelf Number: 126517
Keywords:
Crime Prevention (Sweden)Human TraffickingLegislation (Sweden)Prostitution (Sweden)Sex Buyers (Sweden)Sex Trafficking |
