Prostitution is a form of male sexual violence against women and children. In Sweden, one of the cornerstones of our policies against prostitution and trafficking in women is the focus on the root cause: men’s demand for sexual services. There is a recognition that the global prostitution industry would not be able to flourish and expand without men’s demand for and use of women and girls for sexual exploitation.
Prostitution is a serious problem that is harmful not only to the prostituted woman or child but also to society at large. Prostituted women and children are victims of male violence who should not risk legal penalties. Instead, they have a right to assistance to escape prostitution. Penalties should be directed at those men who attempt to buy or buy a sexual service. This is an approach spearheaded by us in Sweden, and an example followed by Norway and Iceland. Thus the nickname “the Nordic model.”
What warms my heart is that ever more countries are ready to follow suit. A resolution on the abolition of prostitution, including the possibility of pursuing those who purchase a sexual service, who could face six months in prison and a fine of 3000 €, was submitted on December 6 in the French National Assembly.
That day, French parliamentarians approved a resolution signed by MPs from all sides of the political spectrum, affirming the abolitionist position of France on prostitution. The next step is to adopt a law proposal and to include it in the Penal Code.
French parliamentarians are largely inspired by the example of Sweden where the purchase of a sexual service has been punishable by law since 1999. During that time, the proportion of men who have bought a woman for sex has fallen from 13.8 to 7.8 percent, and Sweden has ceased being an attractive market for traffickers and pimps.
I commend the courage of the French parliamentarians and look forward to other countries following suit. If we are to eradicate this form of extreme violence against women, the Nordic model is the way to go.
Gunilla S. Ekberg is a Swedish-Canadian feminist lawyer
Text of the resolution adopted by the French parliament