The Swedish Model: Criminalizing the Buyer

In past discussion threads about prostitution on this blog, a lot of commenters have brought up "the Swedish model" as both a possible prostitution policy and something to steer clear of here in America.  In find the Swedish model fascinating, and would love to spend more time researching and discussing it than I reasonably can via this blog.  So here's a simplified breakdown of the law and the response it's gotten so far.

What Is the Swedish Model?

The Swedish Code of Statutes states that "a person who obtains casual sexual relations in exchange for payment" has committed a violation of the code.  In short, the law makes it illegal to buy a commercial sex act, but not to sell one.  The act of prostitution is illegal, but the crime has been committed by the buyer, not the seller.

Why Did Sweden Make This Law?

The Swedish government views prostitution in the context of violence against women, and specifically as a form of violence against women.  By criminalizing the buyer and decriminalizing the seller, the law puts the onus of the crime on the male perpetrator, thus attempting to correct the gender inequality that leads to prostitution and men's violence against women.

Has It Worked?

Now there's a question that's more loaded than an O'Charley's baked potato.  Studies have shown that while around 80% of Swedes think the law is a good idea, only about 20% think it's actually effective at reducing prostitution.  Hard stats are difficult to obtain, but Swedish police estimate the number of prostitutes in Sweden dropped 40% from 1998 to 2003.  Others claim that now it's practically non-existent.  And there has been both feminist support and feminist criticism of the philosophical merits of the law.

Would It Work in the U.S.?

Some Swedish things are easy to import (Ikea bookcases) and other are more difficult (the word "fjord").  I think this prostitution model falls into the "fjord" category.  Sweden is a much smaller and less diverse country than the U.S. that already enjoyed greater gender equality and a stronger social welfare system than we do before this law was passed.  Differences of American and Swedish culture and the history of prostitution in both countries would also affect the outcome of a similar policy change in America.  Should we still study and learn from the Swedish model, both the successes and parts that need improvement? Of course.  Should we consider this a blanket policy that can be applied to the U.S. with no adjustments? No.

This year, similar laws have been passed in Norway and Iceland, giving us a broader selection of countries to study.  It's too soon to determine whether or not these new laws will have similar affects in Norway and Iceland that they did in Sweden, but they can hopefully shed more light on the issue.  Before long, this may be "the Scandinavian model."  And based on my Ikea experience, I can safely guarantee that it will have no knobs.

So what do you think about the Swedish model?

Image from topnews.in