Prohibited Sexual Behavior and Sexual Violence

Prostitution: Legal Aspects 4

One of the reasons for the Swedish law is the criminal activity of luring unsuspecting young women from poor countries (in this case from Eastern Europe) to the richer countries in the West by promising them well-paid regular jobs and then forcing them into prostitution. This so-called trafficking is a booming industry, usually connected to organized crime, which makes the traffickers rich and exploits the women in the most appalling manner.
The problem has become more serious with the increasing globalization of the “sex trade”. Trafficking for sexual purposes now moves across continents, and the profits to be made are enormous. Correspondingly, the level of exploitation has increased. For this and other reasons, all governments now agree that this “business” must be stopped. However, there are widely divergent views about the best way to do it. Sweden has decided that prohibiting the purchase of sexual services will lead to success, but other countries believe that only the complete decriminalization, legalization, or regulation of prostitution will empower the women and liberate them from the control by criminal elements.

Trafficking in Human Beings
These UN web sites provide information about the global patterns of trafficking for sexual and other purposes. (Click on logos.)