Although most countries have laws against human trafficking, kidnapping and rape, they are not all created equal nor are they regularly enforced. The prevailing attitude continues to be that prostitution, strip clubs, massage parlors, etc. constitute an exchange between consenting adults. All too often, the victims are the ones arrested and punished by law enforcement.
Soroptimist advocates for a Swedish model of legislation that punishes the buyers of sex and assists the victims to get out of the commercial sex industry by providing social welfare programs for her and her family that make it possible. In 1999, Sweden criminalized the buyers of commercial sex acts and decriminalized the sellers. Prostitution was denounced as “an aspect of male violence against women and children,” and the government increased funding both toward services to help women exit the sex trade and toward public education. Police and prosecutors were trained intensively and pushed to enforce the law. Within five years, Sweden drastically reduced the number of both women in prostitution and johns (men who purchase women).
What is Soroptimist Doing?
Each month, Soroptimist posts a new advocacy opportunity to end sex slavery in Trafficking Act Now.
Clubs around the world participate in a signature gathering advocacy effort to encourage their local, state and national governments to adopt a Swedish model of legislation.
Listen to journalist Victor Malarek discuss this model
In addition:
The Atlanta, Georgia, club members met with Georgia House and Senate leaders to encourage them to pass pending legislation that would treat child victims of sexual exploitation as victims and not criminals.
Monroe County, Michigan, club members met with a representative for Homeland Security to learn about human trafficking in their local community. The club then contacted Michigan legislators to persuade state representatives to vote on and pass a bill to give local law enforcement the tools they need to effectively crack down on human trafficking in Michigan.
The Edmonton, Alberta, Canada club set up a booth at a local farmer's market to collect signatures petitioning Canada to revise its criminal code to reflect the Swedish model. Club members collected 300 signatures and raised $1,300 for a trafficking safe house in Ukraine.
The Dazaifu, Japan, club partnered with nine other Soroptimist clubs and other local organizations to carry out a signature collection campaign calling for legislation provisionally titled "Protection of Sex Trafficking Victims Act." Members distributed signature forms throughout the community and collected more than 2,000 signatures.
