Some truth about Swedish Model ...

[Rachel Divine]

The Sex Purchase Act was introduced by feminist policymakers who argued that prostitution
is a form of male violence against women, that it is physically and psychologically damaging
to sell sex and that there are no women who sell sex voluntarily. Furthermore, it was claimed
that if one wants to achieve a gender-equal society, then prostitution must cease to exist – not
only for the above-mentioned reasons, but also because all women in society are harmed as long as
men think they can "buy women's bodies".


Another unique aspect of the Sex Purchase Act is how persistently the ban, or the "Swedish
model", has been marketed. One of the stated aims from the very outset was to export it to
other countries.



Both governments, authorities, political actors and Non Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) have devoted time and money to market it internationally. Pamphlets,
websites, articles, books and movies have been produced and lobby activities have been
conducted towards the European Union (EU) and the rest of the world with the help of this
material and via workshops, seminars and debates.



Countries considering changes in their prostitution laws, have subsequently turned to Sweden for inspiration.


The overall implications of these laws is that no one can operate a brothel, rent an apartment,
room or hotel room, assist with finding clients, act as a security guard or allow advertising for
sex workers. This in turn implies that sex workers can not work together, recommend
customers to each other, advertise, work from property they rent or own or even cohabit with
a partner (since that partner is likely to share part of any income derived from sex work). In
addition, the law against pandering makes it difficult for the authorities to utilise harm
reduction strategies. For instance distribution of condoms, although perfectly legal under the
Social Services and Communicable Diseases Acts respectively, might be perceived by nonlegal experts as encouraging prostitution,




All income is taxable, even prostitution earnings,
but the tax office does not accept "prostitution" or "sex work" as a business if a person wishes
to register a company (and because of the Pandering law they cannot be employees).




In order to assess whether or not prostitution has decreased since the introduction of the Sex
Purchase Act in 1999 one needs to know how prevalent prostitution was before the law was
passed. The most frequently used figures indicate that there were about 650 women in streetbased prostitution in the three largest cities, Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg, and it is
estimated that two to three times as many sold sex indoors. This is said to make the total
number of sex workers working before the new law between 1,850 – 2,500, but sometimes the
number 3,000 is used.



There are several uncertainties here. The sources do not state if the number 650 is an exact
headcount on the street on any given day, or if it is an annual estimate on how many women
sell sex during a year – and if so, if these women sold sex full time or part time, for what
duration, reasons and under what conditions. We also do not know who made the “twice or
three times as many indoors” estimate – and on what grounds. Another uncertainty is that men
and transgender persons selling sex are not accounted for. Given these uncertainties, one
could conclude that comparing statistics before and after the Sex Purchase Act is simply not
feasible.

Link to the blog here (http://maggiemcneill.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/dodillet-ostergren-the-swedish-sex-purchase-act.pdf) ...

[Morpheus]

Thanks Rachel for posting the above and the link.

I wasn't surpised to find that the article is co-authored by Petra Ostergen. Petra has written widely against the Swedish model. Her articles are extremely well researched. For starters, she actually talks to and interviews sex workers! What a novel idea.

Petra is of course Swedish. Did our clowns in the Justice Committee speak to her when they were in Sweden? I'll be they didn't!! Afterall, they don't bother talking to escorts either!!:mad:

[Rachel Divine]

Thanks Rachel for posting the above and the link.

I wasn't surpised to find that the article is co-authored by Petra Ostergen. Petra has written widely against the Swedish model. Her articles are extremely well researched. For starters, she actually talks to and interviews sex workers! What a novel idea.

Petra is of course Swedish. Did our clowns in the Justice Committee speak to her when they were in Sweden? I'll be they didn't!! Afterall, they don't bother talking to escorts either!!:mad:
I agree, the Committee should have talk to Swedish sex workers. Now, I will repeat, Pye spoke at the conference in October.
The other thing is are many organizations to hear from and I dont understand how the Committee will speak to hundred of prostitute in Ireland, or Sweden. Yet , they heard from 2 active escorts , which is a very good thing. Pat Neary is reading submissions everyday from clients and escorts ..

One other thing is , sex workers are not involved in any organization as far as I know, while anti prostitution organization are there for years now..

[milkman]

I agree, the Committee should have talk to Swedish sex workers. Now, I will repeat, Pye spoke at the conference in October.
The other thing is are many organizations to hear from and I dont understand how the Committee will speak to hundred of prostitute in Ireland, or Sweden. Yet , they heard from 2 active escorts , which is a very good thing. Pat Neary is reading submissions everyday from clients and escorts ..

One other thing is , sex workers are not involved in any organization as far as I know, while anti prostitution organization are there for years now..

In fairness, there's so much bickering , half-interpretations,unintended interpretations going on, its like the 'Mexican Drug Cartel Community' here sometimes instead of the 'E-I Community' ....
Personally, like most here, couldn't be arsed making enemies which is why i'd rather just to stick to berating organisations that are blithely lying through their teeth to foce through ideaologies instead of genuinely trying to establishing the best legislative and practical environment for sex workers . The Swedish approach is ,in fairness , a logical one , but in practice , has died on its arse and should be consigned to the rubbish heap - unfortunately , some things need to be staked through the heart to be killed off.

[The Equalizer]

The overall implications of these laws is that no one can operate a brothel, rent an apartment,
room or hotel room
Unscrupulous landlords and hotel and/or property managers (in States where Swedish-style Legislation is implemented) use this to their advantage. For instance, if a landlord or property owner/manager becomes aware that a tenant is a sex worker (and using the property during the course of their work) said landlord/property owner will charge the "Sex Worker Tenant" extortionate rent, or he will "cause problems" for said sex worker.

All income is taxable, even prostitution earnings,
but the tax office does not accept "prostitution" or "sex work" as a business if a person wishes
to register a company (and because of the Pandering law they cannot be employees).
This further marginalizes, stigmatizes and discriminates against Independent Sex Workers (in Sweden particularly) due to the fact that if they "cannot" (and effectively do not) pay taxes, they therefore are "not in the system" and routinely have problems accessing State Services (such as Social Security Benefits and Healthcare) which taxpayers would have no problem accessing.

Another uncertainty is that men
and transgender persons selling sex are not accounted for.
A very valid point, which actually demonstrates how little TORL know about the realities of the Sex Industry, and are just spinning lies to secure funding and justify their own agenda. (See http://www.turnofftheredlight.ie/ for evidence of this)