„Any person that gets sexual services for money will be criminally punished for buying sex, by paying a fine or detention under a year. These punishments are also applied when the payment for the services was promised or done by another person.”
Sweden Penal Code, chapter 6, s.1

Sweden is a nordic country, with a dominant territory, with long and dark winters and short summers. But the average age, of its about 10 million inhabitants, is 80-84 years. Their long and healthy life has an explanation – the citizens of Sweden benefit from a good system of education, employment, remuneration, holidays, medical assistance and also protection against physical and psychological abuse.

Sweden is also the first country in the world to criminalize the purchase of sexual services. Since 1999, the swedish legislation has been completed with an act that prohibits the purchase of sex. Those who buy prostitutes are criminally punished. At the same time the penal or administrative code does not provide any kind of punisment for people offering sex.

Kajsa Wahlberg is an investigator under sweden police for many years and knows very well how Sweden got to this model of descouraging the buyers of sex.

Prostitutes for import

„At the end of ’90s something strange began to happen in the places where usually swedish prostitutes used to be. The society started to question it. The first results of the investigation showed that most of the women were from the post-soviet neighbours countries. Abolition of the visa regime, with some countries, facilitated not only the circulation of ordinary people, but olso of many criminals too, who did business by selling women”, explains the investigator.

She sais that in 1998 there used to be around 2500 women on the street that were practicing prostitution, but the number was increasing. With the development of the internet has growned sexual servic, through virtual networks. Even if the prostitutes activate in Sweden for decades, a change in their behaviour was noticed at the end of 90’s. Women from sex-business, especially the foreigners, were not activating alone. They were guided by some men who were dealing with this business, the so called pimps.

The swedish society decided that the request was generating the offer and looked for a method that would discourage the request. The most efficient method was considered to prohibit the purchase of sexual services. According to a national survey, in 1996 almost 70% of respondents declared that they were against such a law. But in 1999 during the time the law was addopted only 15% of respondents were against it. The number of those against this point in the Penal Code is remaning constantly low. The structures created to make this law work are improving with each day. Swedish police, prosecution and judges are doing permanent raids to uncover new buyers of sexual services and apply punishment.

The shame of buying sex

Beeing in Stockholm, I got convinced that the police authority in combating this phenomenon is indubitable. The hotel managers, apartment or sauna owners are calling the police themselves to denounce someone who purchase the services of a prostitute. „Police officers can go in any hotel, and the administrators are offerning the keys of any room, if they presume there is taking place an illegal act related to purchasing a prostitute”, explanes Kajsa Wahlberg, who in present holds the position in national report on issues related to the trafic of human beeings.

„We are following them based on the addresses known by us in advance. If it is a hotel, coleagues go in and listen at the door. At the moment when they hear semnals that prove illegal actions, the policeman can go in or can retain the perpetrator right after the end of the case of purchase of sex” sais Ewa Carlenfors, who is activating in police for 35 years. The last two decades she is activating at the department of special investigations. For few years along with the investigator Maria Hein she is dealing with cases on traffic of human beeings. During this time Ewa and her coleagues has been participated in countless cases of detention of men in the moment of purchasing prostitutes.

I am questioning if there are no complaints regarding the violation of the rights on private life. My question is verry alike to one of other foreign jurnalists that come to Sweden to write about this model, but the answer that follows from Maria Hector is ferm: „In Sweden the purchase of sexual services is an illegal act. They commit a crime against the swedish state. They break the law, not us”.

The policeman at the hotel door

What is happening in the moment of detention to the men who just bought the services of a prostitute in Sweden is unbelievable for the Republic of Moldova society. Immediately after the raid of the police into the hotel room the men is separated from the woman he purchased, both of them beeing interviewed separately. The woman who is providing sexual services is not responsable in this case, she is not exposed, blamed, penalized. Her role in this criminal investigation is to confirm or infirm if the man purchased sexual services from her, without the money paid by the consumer to be confiscated.

For the person purchasing intimate services the situation is really shocking. Policeman interogates, skans the documents, notes his personal datas, home and work address, in some cases – copies all the information from the mobile phone, and even takes a blood sample, to check if that person did not commit offences in the past and to introduce him with a complete data in the data base of offenders. The person can not refuse any of these procedures.

Marie Lind Thomsen is hired at the Prosecutor’s office in Stockholm and is supervising specifically the evolution of investigations on cases of purchasing of sexual services and trafic of human beeings. She confirms the fact that the Prosecutor’s office authorises raid at hotels, retrieve data from mobile phones or DNA sampling. In this situation the person retained by the police has no other options but to comply. Some choose to admit the act immediately, but others refuse. „We also authorise shooting in the street, but also searches in hotels and at domicile, the check of bank accounts, reading of e-mails and sms”, explains representative of Prosecutor’s office.

Fine – equals with a salary, shame – with a suicide

For those who, at the moment of detention, immediately admit their guilt follows an assessment record, and after that the punishment, that lies in paying a fine. The penalty is 33,3% from the person’s income for a certain number of working days. The law established a limit of 40-80 working days. To this cost is added the price paid by the person for the prostitute – about 200-300 euros for a round. In total, the aventurier-man ends lacking a good amount of money from his budget. Only in cases of repeated legal offences or agravated circumstances a punishment with prison under a year is applied. The swedish experience knows one prisoner convicted for a year of inprisonment.

Kajsa Wahlberg says that half of the men caught with prostitutes admit their guilt immediately, prefering to pay the fine as soon as possible. But both those who admit their act and those who do not end up in the same trap. On one side admitting their guilt – they admit they break the law and are included in the police data base. On the other side, the persons refusing – follow to apear at the hearing, where their guilt of buying prostitutes is discussed and can be followed by public.

„They all fear that this story will be discussed in public. In Sweden it is a shame to be caught with purchasing sexual services. Many consider that this might damage their career and family”, explains Marie Lind Thomsen. Many of those detaned happen to have an important social or political position, beeing politicians, policemen, prosecutors, judges, priests.

Prosecutors, priests, policemen – caught in bordel

I have asked Marie Thomsen, if there is no pressure from authorities in cases of investigations with big names. „No, in such cases the investigation will even do everything so that the person is investigated and amended respectively. A while ago one prosecutor was detained for buying a prostitute. He had to leave his job” she sais.

The cases of officials buying prostitutes is the press delight in Sweden. Recently, the head of the swedish agency for combating the sexually transmited diseases ended in the hands of press for the same offense. Along with him, other officials, including policemen, judges or representatives of municipal councils, had to abandon their public functions.

Because of that many of those caught in bordels are trying to hide their crime as much as possible. „Many men „caught at the place of act” are asking us to write down their work or friends address, as they would not be able to receive summons or judicial decisions on this shameful case at home. We accept this requests” explains Ewa Carlenfors.

Even if the fine is not a burden for many men caught in the act, even if admitting this legal offense means a shorter conversation with the police, many of those who end in the eye of law enforcement for purchasing of prostitutes declare they are ready for a suicide.

Social assistent for men buying prostitutes

The studies show that men who are buying sexual services have the average age betwen 40-60 years, have families and children, are employed, have income, some of them having a sucessefull career. Swedish authorities decided that men-buyers of sex have got problems. For the first time in the world, in Sweden, has been created a social assistanse service for persons who illegaly purchase sexual services.

Johan Christiansson is one of the first social assistants that work with this people. He met tens of men captured by the police at the place of act. „I meet them at the moment when they feel the world falling under their feet. First the policemen interogates them for the investigation, and after 20-30 minutes they are reccomended to talk to me. Of course it is difficult to talk to them in that moment, most of them cry and say they want to commit suicide”.

When he sees that „some of them are too likely to commit suicide”, he reccomends to involve a psychiatrist. But in general, he must inform them about the law and invite them to his office for more session. „I tell them that they broke the law but it is not the end of the world. It is important not to do it again. And make them understand that they get a punishment for the act but we also offer them help, that is a kind of crisis therapy. Some of them come to my office after 1-2 weeks and are proud to tell me they didn’t go to the bordel since. I encourage them by saying „you are a strong soldier”.

The assistance offered by the state is free. Offenders can beneficiate from social assistant sessions during 10 weeks. „We talk about law, about family life, children, daughters, sisters. Sometimes I ask them: When you are purchasing a prostitute, whose daughter do you think she is? And why should you pay her by hour? I explain them that the result afterall is that they feed the traffickers and support the prostitution of other women” tells Johan about the essence of the dialogue with prostitute consumers.

Johan Christiansson thinks that the problem of those purchasing sex is simple. „There are also clinics for those dependent on prostitutes. I personally do not think it is a dependence or a disease, it is all about behaviour and attitude, about making personal decisions. It has to do with the satisfaction of buying something and the perception that if you have money you can buy anything”.

This is where human evolution wanted to get?

Johan is working on a research and is writing an analytical work at one University in Stockholm. He thinks people should have limits and encouraged to respect the law. „I have been to Holland, I walked the streets in Amsterdam, where the prostitutes are sold and are bought every minute. What I saw there made me question the meaning of life :”is this where the human civilisation wanted to get?”

Johan says that his job is a challenge to encourage these men every day to respect the law, but also their family, or the women who ended up in the street because of some personal problems. He experienced dissapointments too. Ones he talked to a beneficiary that visited him few times. In the same evening he went for a raid to a hotel with the police. He was verry surprised to see the men he talk on that day. But he claims that the majority have a right attitude. „In Sweden men do not think they are stronger if they buy a prostitute. I am liberal, but i think limits are important. If people follow all their instincts – they will end up killing each other”.

Prostitutes, sexualy abused in childhood

The fight with the people buying prostitutes is driven by the fight against human trafic. „We do not make a big difference between women traficked for beeing sold and prostitutes that declare they are traficant victims. They are victims anyway. I have not seen a happy prostitute satisfied with her life. Even if she pretends, when you wash away a bit of glister you see soul wounds”. Explains Ewa Carlenfors.

Kajsa Wahlberg, the national reporter for problems on human trafic can explain the same problem in numbers :” 75% of prostitutes have been abused sexually in childhood, or other kind of abuse, that includes parents neglect. The majority of them are 14-15 years, when they are not yet mature and are drivven by life traumas. Later, even when adult and offer sexual services by their own will, they end up tacking or trafficking drugs, money laundering or other crimes.”

In Stockholm even the representatives of the church do not consider prostitute a vice but a drama. „we were seeing these women on the street and were thinking how could we help. We talked about it with the priest and the church community and decided to invite one day the prostitutes for a tea. We met in a place to talk. I have heard some terrible stories. I understood that such problems can not be solved at a cup of tea” says Anna Sander, the manager of an organisation that offers support to trafficked women and those willing to leave prostitution.

Anna and her friend Josephine Appelqvist got the support of the church to create a program that would help this women. This is how in Stockholm the oragnisation „Talita” appeared. It offers support and reabilitation to prostitutes for many years. The name Talita is from a bible fable about Jesus resuscitating a girl concidered dead. „Talita kumi – girl, raise!”, says the Bible. Anna and Josephine consider what they do – a revival of women from the rottenness of prostitution and traffic.

Priests at a coffee with prostitutes

Every day at this centre starts with a prayer, and follows a hard work with the women – abused, trafficked, abandoned by their families and society. „Talita” wants to bring to life the dignity in these women.

The program of reabilitation for the young women who decide to come out of the vicious circle of prostitution, lasts 1 year. During this time they are offered not only shelter, food, posibilities of education and professional courses, but first of all a long therapy of healing and accepting themselves, held by specialists in human rehabilitation. Anna and Josephine search for money, accomodation, psychologists, job, medical assistants just to have their religious consciousness in peace knowing they helped someone in need.

„The only condition is that this young women accept our help and do not go back to the street. We know it is hard for them. It is not easy for us either. But we do not despair. It is important they they learn to leave in a different way, no matter what colour, rase, religion, or ethnicity they are”, explains Josephine Appelqvist. I asked them how do they find their beneficiares. They said they are helped by servants of the church with it. When they notice women in complicated situations, they guide them to look for help.

3000 dollars for going back home

The church from Sweden always looked with concern the prostitution phenomenon and how it affects the life of women and their children. The kindergarden Nicolaigarden in the cener of Stockholm is known in the whole world for its special educational programes. „ In this building take place educational activities for children for hundreds of years. At the museum of Stockholm there are documents that confirm that the first institution was opened more that a hundren years ago by the Church, for prostitutes children. It was more like a hotel, as prostitutes would go to work at night, and the children would be left on the streets. The church decided to open a place where they would be safe as long as their mothers will be missing”, says Lotta Rajalin, the kindergarden director.

On a national level, there is a complex mechanism of help for sexualy exploited victims, especialy those got here from abroad. The program of returning home for victims of traffic is offering them 3000 dollars for reintegration to their country of origin. Patrick Cederlof, the national coordinator in combating the traffic of human beeings, says that it is for the necessary expences for filing documents, the ticket, and life expences for the first 3 months. Patrick knows many cases when persons from România and R. Moldova got the attention of law enforcement from Sweden, beeing trafficked for sexual exploatation, begging, organised robberies and other crimes. For the victims of such groups, there is always support from swedish authorities. But any help is offered only when it is accepted voluntarily, including when it is accepted to return home.

Alina RADU