View Full Version : England and Wales Swedish model proposed
The government is coming under increasing pressure to review prostitution laws in England and Wales, as neighbours consider following in the footsteps of Sweden and making the buying of sex illegal.
MPs, peers and women's groups based in England are supporting changes being considered by Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and are calling on the government to consider introducing the so-called Nordic model.
"2013 is a year in which parliamentarians will be forcibly pushing for the laws around prostitution to be revised, especially in light of what is happening in devolved administrations," said Gavin Shuker, Labour MP for Luton South, and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on prostitution and the global sex trade.
"It is clear that the current legal situation is failing women and it is failing communities, and the government needs to consider if the criminalisation of buying sex could help reduce demand."
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec/26/government-pressure-review-prostitution-laws?
First Ireland, then Northern Ireland and Scotland and now the third UK jurisdiction of England and Wales is falling into the Swedish model.
The Domino effect?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAIlX-dfbNc
the government needs to consider if the criminalisation of buying sex could help reduce demand.
I sense a lot of this support for criminalisation is based on prejudice against those who provide and pay for sexual services. I actually believe a lot of people wouldn't even care if they found out the Swedish Model will put escorts further at risk and increase trafficking. it's pure discrimination against escorts; out of sight, out of mind.
The Equalizer
26-12-12, 23:53
In addition to the link which Banjaxed posted above, here is another link to an article which some may find interesting.
Copy and paste this link (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/09/europe-sex-workers?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487) into your browser.
Also, the "comments" section of the article which Banjaxed posted a link to provide interesting reading.
The Equalizer
27-12-12, 00:11
I sense a lot of this support for criminalisation is based on prejudice against those who provide and pay for sexual services. I actually believe a lot of people wouldn't even care if they found out the Swedish Model will put escorts further at risk and increase trafficking. it's pure discrimination against escorts; out of sight, out of mind.
Fair points.
In addition, as yourself (and LaBelle Thatcher) pointed out earlier this evening (as did various others over the previous weeks), any strength which Ruhama/TORL (The Irish proponents of Swedish-style legislation) may have in their arguments is reinforced through misinforming a generally decent (though unfortunately slightly gullible) general public. This would be the proverbial "Ace Up Their Sleeves" (though I think people [where it counts] are starting to see Ruhama/TORL for what they are).
The British/English Government will consider extremely carefully all the implications/ramifications which this proposed "Swedish-style legislation" will have upon England as a whole (please refer to my earlier post in relation to negative implications of "Swedish style" legislation) before they would even put this matter to Public Consultation.
I sense a lot of this support for criminalisation is based on prejudice against those who provide and pay for sexual services. I actually believe a lot of people wouldn't even care if they found out the Swedish Model will put escorts further at risk and increase trafficking. it's pure discrimination against escorts; out of sight, out of mind.
Agree 100%.
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec/26/government-pressure-review-prostitution-laws?
First Ireland, then Northern Ireland and Scotland and now the third UK jurisdiction of England and Wales is falling into the Swedish model.
The Domino effect?
As for the domino effect, I think that will depend on how it pans out in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
If the proposal is rebuffed in any of these jurisdictions it will be a serious dent in the anti escorting lobbyists campaign.
Unfortunately if the proposed legislation is passed in any of the above jurisdictions it will lend weight to passing simlar legislation across Britain.
Rachel Divine
27-12-12, 01:34
Are those countries trying to get into good political relation with Sweden??!!!! :confused:
davidseven
27-12-12, 01:40
Its been a long term goal by campaigners and pressure groups to see the Swedish model adopted by the European Union and there by force it upon all members by acquis communautaire.
davidseven
27-12-12, 08:45
Further reading.
http://ant.sagepub.com/content/3/2/199.abstract
http://ebookbrowse.com/jordan-2012-swedish-law-failed-social-experiment-1-copy-pdf-d341736122
10inchesandcounting
27-12-12, 08:51
Domino effect indeed,
The new socialist governement in France annouced recently via the newly appointed health minister(woman) that all aspects of prostution have to be eradicated(her word)and that she was preparing a whole set of new laws that would see all participants facing criminal charge.
She is on a crusade, and if she does a single thing during her time in government, it would be it.
Damm the snow ball effect!!
The Equalizer
27-12-12, 10:45
I pointed out in an earlier post that lack of sexual intimacy can be a key factor in triggering depression (please refer to my post in relation to negative effects and implications which would accompany the introduction of the "Swedish model" in the thread "Advertising Campaign or Creating a Bad Image" for more information in this regard).
In addition, the obvious flaws in the "Swedish model" (pushing the Sex Industry into the hands of pimps and/or human traffickers) are apparent in Sweden itself.
Interesting Fact:
More people are diagnosed with clinical depression per annum in Sweden than in any country in Europe. As depression among the general population of Sweden is ongoing, not all (or even a considerable percentage) of these diagnoses of depression can be attributed to Seasonal Affective Disorder (A study of sufferers of depression in Nordic states attributed SAD a [I]considerably low factor in triggering of depression amongst those surveyed).
Any jurisdiction considering introducing the "Swedish model" within their society should carefully consider the implications and ramifications (for all involved) which this legislation would impose upon their society.
(Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder,
http://www.thelocal.se/discuss/index.php?showtopic=37271#.UNwheuSWato,
http://www.thelocal.se/6176/20070123/#.UNwjZOSWato,
http://www.thelocal.se/discuss/index.php?showtopic=38712#.UNwl2OSWato,
http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/151832)
The above links make for some interesting reading. And the above links are in relation to just some of the articles I found in relation to the prevalence of depression in Sweden.
the Swedish model has not been a success in Sweden. Norway rejected it.
the thought of England and France adapting such a failed model is laughable.
the Swedish model has not been a success in Sweden. Norway rejected it.
the thought of England and France adapting such a failed model is laughable.
Denmark rejected it. Norway still has it fully in place, and hence why some now call it the "Nordic model" rather than the "Swedish model" since everyone advocates that the Scandinavians know how to do health care and prison systems better than Ireland or the UK I'd imagine that's deliberate ploy to convince people and politicians that it is the "right model".
The first report into it's implementation (http://humboldt1982.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/dangerous-liaisons.pdf) (translated to English by Norwegian sex work activist Thomas Larson/@Samoth12 (http://twitter.com/samoth12)) clearly showed an increase in violence against sex workers.
It also still raises considerable issues in Ireland, which are unfortunately unlikely to ever be explored because of the nature of prostitution, such as the constitutionality of criminalising one party to a transaction, etc. One only has to look at the unfair convictions of men in Sweden who were in effect propositioned by the female who literally touted/talked them into the transaction and then decided to pull out, leading to hotel staff to call the police and the man to be caught and convicted of ATTEMPTING to purchase sex.
Following that it goes without saying that inevitably when the law cannot be trusted, people will create their own guarantees....relying on violence, on non-independent escorts who can be controlled to guarantee service and perhaps immune from police attention, the growth of organised crime and dissident republicans, etc.
Most of those advocating don't care about the consequences, only the funding or ideological message.
Most of those advocating don't care about the consequences, only the funding or ideological message.
And that in esssence is the problem Banjaxed. The unholy alliance of radical feminists and religious bigots have decided that prostitution is an evil that they must rid this country of! They have no acceptance that there is a wide spectrum of experiences and circumstances of women working in the sex industry.
They well know the consequences of the Swedish model and intend fully to make it harder and more unsafe for sex workers - in the hope they they will all give up and run into the open arms of the "rescue industry".:angryfire:
LaBelleThatcher
28-12-12, 02:06
The horrible truth is that, if it succeeds in destroying the demands for sexual services (why are we even TALKING about destroying ANY demand in a recession?) the "Nordic Model" will finally give them JUST what they always wanted, women *FORCED* to "exit" sex work by the absence of demand and offered only alternatives under their control...
Then they will finally be just like all the animal welfare orgs...with the power of life and death to manipulate for funding, influence and warn fuzzy power kicks...
The are no words for the extent to which these sick, creepy, people disgust me. The more so because I HAVE seen how they work at close range...