Torture in [Sweden] [other countries]Human Trafficking in [Sweden Street Children in [Sweden] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Sweden] [other countries] |
Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery In the early years of the 21st Century gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Sweden.htm
Sweden is a
destination, and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women trafficked
from Romania, Russia, Nigeria, Albania, Tanzania, Thailand, and Estonia for
the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. Some of these women are
trafficked through Sweden to Norway, Denmark, Germany, and the United
Kingdom. Women and children from Romania are trafficked to Sweden for the
purpose of forced begging. One man from Ukraine was trafficked to Sweden for
the purpose of begging and petty theft.
The Swedish police estimate that 400 to 600 persons are trafficked to
Sweden annually, primarily for forced prostitution. - |
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CAUTION: The following
links have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in ***
FEATURED ARTICLE *** "Harder punishments needed" for
men who use sex slaves The Local, 13 Jun 05 www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=1597&date=20050613 [accessed 27 December 2010] Johan Linander, the Center Party’s justice spokesman, argues in a report released on Monday that anyone who pays to have sex with a woman who is obviously being held by force should be considered to have raped her. “If one man pays another man who then unlocks a door to a woman, it should be clear what is happening,” says Linander. ***
ARCHIVES *** Human Rights
Reports » 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61677.htm [accessed 27 December 2010] TRAFFICKING
IN PERSONS
– The country continued to be a transit point, and to a lesser extent a
destination, for trafficked women and children. Many law enforcement
officials and analysts estimated the number of trafficked women at
approximately 500 per year. Victims came primarily from the Baltic region,
Eastern Europe, or Traffickers
typically recruited victims in their countries of origin to work as cleaners,
babysitters, or in similar employment abroad. Once in the country,
traffickers isolated and intimidated victims, and forced them to work as
prostitutes in hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, or private apartments;
some were likely locked up and had their passports confiscated. Concluding Observations of the Committee on
the Rights of the Child (CRC) UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,
28 January 2005 www1.umn.edu/humanrts/crc/sweden2005.html [accessed 27 December 2010] SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING - The Committee notes with appreciation that, following
the First World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children,
held in (a) The occurrence
of trafficking in children, prostitution and related issues in UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN - The
Committee notes the efforts of the State party to address the situation of
unaccompanied minors and to enhance the quality of reception and interviewing
for asylum‑seeking children. However, the Committee is concerned
about: (a) The high number of
unaccompanied children having gone missing from the Swedish Migration Board’s
special units for children without custodians; … Critics hit out at sex law plan BBC News, 20 December 2007 news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7154980.stm [accessed 27 December 2010] Liberal Democrat
spokesman David Howarth said a ban was not the
answer, arguing that it could put women in more danger. He said: "Evidence from Sweden in making prostitution illegal
has shown that it doesn't help in reducing human trafficking. It, in fact,
increases violence against women and makes the practice of prostitution far
more risky for all involved.
"Outlawing prostitution completely will mean that men will be far
less likely to come forward to help with prosecutions for fear of criminalisation themselves." Swedish Prostitution Ban An Apparent
Enormous Success Article Source: lifesite.net, 19 Nov 2007 [accessed 27 December 2010] This law is the
only one of its kind in the world, and it seems to be incredibly successful
according to Swedish officials. The law, which has criminalized the purchase
and brokering of sexual services, provides for up to six years in prison for
pimps, up to 10 years for traffickers of prostitutes. The john could face up
to six months in prison if caught in the act. Another relevant
aspect of the ban is the reduction of the number of foreign women now being
trafficked into Sweden for sex. The Swedish government estimates that in the
last few years only 200 to 400 women and girls have been annually trafficked
into Sweden for prostitution, while in neighboring Finland the number is
15,000 to 17,000. Falling Short of the Mark: An International
Study on the Treatment of Human Trafficking Victims [PDF] The Future Group, March 2006 www.oas.org/atip/canada/Fallingshortofthemark.pdf [accessed 27 December 2010] RESIDENCE - In October 2004,
Sweden amended the Aliens Act to enable prosecutors to obtain timelimited residence permits for trafficking victims who
cooperate in the criminal investigation of traffickers. Police reported that
a decrease in the number of deportations took place following the enactment
of this legislation. Depending on the complexity of the investigation or if
the judgment is appealed, the time-limited residence may be extended upon
application by the prosecutor. Upon expiry of the temporary permit, the
trafficking victim may apply for a permanent residence permit. Four Russians Arrested in Russian Spy, 18 April 2007 www.russianspy.org/2007/04/18/four-russians-arrested-in-sweden-over-human-trafficking/ [accessed 27 December 2010] Swedish prosecutors
have charged a group of 24 Russians and Swedes with human trafficking,
pimping and buying sex from nine Russian women, the AFP news agency reports. The prosecutor said
he was only able to prove human trafficking in one of the cases and said the
other eight women had come from Russia to Sweden of their own will. Modern day slave trade: Human trafficking
continues, even in the U.S. Hilary Dyer, Opinion Editor, www.liberty.edu/academics/religion/churchmin/youthministry/index.cfm?PID=10609&CAID=212 [accessed 27 December 2010] In an effort to
stop human trafficking in Agence France-Presse AFP, [accessed 27 December 2010] “The fact that
trafficking in human beings is taking place in Co-operation to Stop Sex Traffic Radio sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?ProgramID=2054&format=1&artikel=683238 [accessed 27 December 2010] The Swedish police
have begun working with their counterparts in Kosovo to stop a gang
responsible for sex trafficking. The
co-operation follows the case of a 17-year-old girl kidnapped from Kosovo and
brought to "Harder punishments needed" for
men who use sex slaves The Local, 13 Jun 05 www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=1597&date=20050613 [accessed 27 December 2010] Johan Linander, the Center Party’s justice spokesman, argues in
a report released on Monday that anyone who pays to have sex with a woman who
is obviously being held by force should be considered to have raped her. “If one man pays another man who then
unlocks a door to a woman, it should be clear what is happening,” says Linander. Key US Gulf Allies Cited in Human
Trafficking Report Voice of www.voanews.com/articleprintview/548041.html [accessed 4 September 2012] Mr. Miller also
commended Prostitution in Sweden 2003 - Knowledge,
Beliefs & Attitudes Of Key Informants [PDF] Article Number 2004-131-28,
www.socialstyrelsen.se, October 2004 www.childcentre.info/projects/exploitation/sweden/dbaFile11751.pdf [accessed 27 December 2010] [page 50]
TRAFFICKING
- The national police force estimates that there were up to 400-600 female
victims of trafficking in Most of the women
brought into Sweden have their passports and other travel documents taken
from them. Many of them are kept under lock and 51 key in various flats and
other locations where they are forced to provide sexual services (BRÅ-rapport
2002:7). The national police draw a
similar picture, but also report that women may be delivered to customers by
their pimps or handlers. They are frequently subjected to physical abuse, sexual
assault and threats by both handlers and clients. The situation of the women is further
aggravated by the fact that it is difficult for them to get help due to
language problems, as well as fear of the police and other authorities. Freedom House
Country Report - Political Rights: 1 Civil Liberties: 1 Status: Free 2009 Edition www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2009/sweden [accessed 28 June 2012] Human Rights
Overview Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org/europecentral-asia/sweden [accessed 27 December 2010] One in 12 children forced into world's
'worst forms' of labor: UNICEF Agence France-Presse AFP, 21 February 2005 www.worldrevolution.org/news/article1773.htm [accessed 20 April 2012] UNICEF UK lauded
the pledge of developed countries, made more than 30 years ago, of allocating
0.7 percent of gross domestic product to development aid but regretted that
only five countries today fulfill that promise -- Denmark, Norway, the
Netherlands, Luxembourg and Sweden. United States and 2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2005/43838.htm [accessed 16 August 2012] The Prevention
Project will address gaps in gender equality, the demand for sex trafficking
victims, and the connection between human trafficking and prostitution. The bilateral program also will help
promote equality between women and men as a fundamental part of democracy and
human rights. The United States and
Sweden are contributing
approximately $330,000 each over two years Sexual exploitation of children in Sweden Ingrid Åkerman, [accessed 27 December 2010] Final report from
the Committee on knowledge about sexual exploited children in The Swedish Approach to Prostitution Sari Kouvo, Dept.
of Law, www.sos-sexisme.org/English/swedish.htm [accessed 27 December 2010] THE WORLD'S 'OLDEST
TRADE' AND THE SWEDISH LAW THAT CRIMINALIZES BUYING OF SEXUAL SERVICES - The Swedish
women's movement, while arguing for non-traditional gender roles and for
women's sexual liberty, refused to confuse and mix up sexual liberty with
prostitution, as they are virtually each others' contrasts. Hence, the
preparatory work for the Swedish law started around 1975, and since then
several government reports have been made proposing either status quo, or
criminalizing both the sellers and buyers of sexual services, or
criminalizing only the buyers of sexual services. It is however only in 1999
that the question was decided. The Swedish law from 1999 on buying of sexual
services forbids buying and attempts to buy sexual services. That is, selling
and attempts to sell sexual services remains legal in Sweden, it is only the
buyers side that is made criminal. National Action Program for Combating
Trafficking in Human Beings Ministry of Integration and Gender
Equality, 25 June 2007 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 12 September 2011] The National Action
Plan for combating prostitution and trafficking in human beings for sexual
purposes, with particular focus on women and children will include many
different measures, including proposals of further initiatives to combat
prostitution and trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes, especially
women and children, proposals of protection and aid to victims of
prostitution and trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes and a survey
of penal measures and development of the work within the justice system,
police and social services. The National Action Plan will also include
special measures to counteract the demand that furthers all forms of sexual
exploitation of human beings, especially women and children. New measures to combat human trafficking Press release, Ministry for Foreign
Affairs, 26 August 2004 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 12 September 2011] Today, thousands of
women and children are victims of human trafficking from and through the
Nordic and Baltic countries. It is estimated that between 400 and 600 women
and children will fall prey to this modern form of slavery this year in
Sweden alone. Project against prostitution and
trafficking in human beings in the Barents region Ministry of Industry, 3 November 2004 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 12 September 2011] At The objective is to
combat trafficking of women and girls for the purpose of prostitution from
Murmansk and Archangelsk oblast, in North-western Russia, to the northern
parts of Sweden, Finland and Norway. During the project measures will be
taken to combat the demand of women and girls for purposes of prostitution. Campaign Against Trafficking in Women in
the Nordic and Baltic Countries Ministry of Industry, Employment and
Communications, 18 April 2005 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 12 September 2011] The Swedish
Campaign had its overall objective to increase the awareness and knowledge
about prostitution and the global trafficking in human beings through
information to, and education and training of government and other public
authorities, nongovernmental organizations, the media and the public. The campaign
focused on different measures directed towards buyers and potential buyers of
prostituted women and children in Sweden, as well as towards those men who
travel to other countries for the specific purpose of buying and exploiting
prostituted women and children. The campaign also highlighted the
circumstances and conditions that those women and children who are, or who
have been, victims of prostitution and trafficking live under. Chapter 2: Hambaar:
The Smugglers' Network U.N. Integrated Regional Information
Networks IRIN, Web Special on Separated Somali Children, 1 May 2006 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 12 September 2011] International
criminal networks - There is a paucity of hard information on child smuggling
and trafficking. An official of Interpol told IRIN that that while there were
major investigations carried out on prostitution rings, pornography and
international criminal cartels, relatively little was known about the
international child trafficking networks. In 2001, 87
unaccompanied minors in Sweden went 'missing' - meaning they arrived, were
registered or accommodated by the authorities, but then disappeared to an
unknown destination. There is speculation that international organized crime
accounts for a small number of these 'missing' children. All professionals
working with unaccompanied children agree that the children have become more
vulnerable as communication technology becomes more sophisticated. According
to staff in the Carlslund refugee centre in Stockholm, almost every child gets a mobile
phone three or four days after arrival - "we don't know from where, or
how". There is a debate in Sweden on how far the refugee child's
liberties should be restricted in the interest of safety. All
material used herein reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC § 107
for noncommercial, nonprofit, and educational use. PLEASE RESPECT COPYRIGHTS OF COMPONENT
ARTICLES. Cite this webpage as: Patt,
Prof. Martin, "Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery - |
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Torture in [Sweden] [other countries]Human Trafficking in [Sweden Street Children in [Sweden] [other countries]Child Prostitution in [Sweden] [other countries]