According to Svenska Dagbladet, the women´s section within the Christian democrats has proposed that streets that are known for prostitution shall be closed for cars at night-time. (Photo: sxc.hu)
Since the late 1990´s it is illegal to buy sexual services in Sweden. But the punishment for doing this is low. The Christian democratic womens´ section now proposes more severe punishments for buying sexual services. They argue that today, the police does not put priority to this and that more severe punishments would lead to more active police work.
The government is now preparing an action-plan to fight prostitution and trafficing. The christian democratic women argue that several changes in the law are needed. Higher punishment and to forbid cars on certain streets night-time are their main strategy.The argument for stopping cars is to hinder the market for sex trade according the christian democratic women.
Mikael Söderlund, municipal commissioner for traffic in Stockholm says to Dagens Nyheter that he is open for all solutions. When it comes to disturbing the sex-market, his recipe is instead to build more apartments so that the street will not be so calm and invisible.
The background is that the National board of health and welfare (Socialstyrelsen) has recently presented a report about the issue. Their conclusion was that the law has no real effect and that the street prostitution is now on its way back in Sweden. The report is available in Swedish on their homepage (www.socialstyrelsen.se).