A glimpse into 30 years of struggle against prostitution by the women's liberation movement in Norway

Abstract

The Women's Front of Norway has worked against prostitution for 30 years. In 2008 a law criminalizing the purchase of a sexual act was passed in Norway. This article describes the struggle and the main actors in lobbying for the law. In the 1980s, we raised awareness of prostitution and trafficking in women in a study of the pornography industry, and targeted sex tourist agencies organizing trips to the Philippines and Thailand. In the 1990s, our members in trade unions got their unions to take a stand against prostitution and against legalizing prostitution as “work”. In 2006, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions Congress supported a law criminalizing the buyer of a sexual act; this had a strong impact on the centre-left coalition Government. We invited leaders of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women to Norway to meet parliamentarians and trade unionists, and kept up the pressure. From the start, the focus was on ensuring that the situation for women in prostitution was ameliorated. Our demands have been for better social services and job training. Street prostitution, especially in Oslo, has been curbed, and a growth in the indoor market has not been reported. Our next task is participating in the awareness campaign “Buying Sex is not a Sport” in connection with the Soccer World Cup, South Africa, 2010.

Résumé

Le Front des femmes de Norvège lutte contre la prostitution depuis 30 ans. En 2008, la Norvège a adopté une loi criminalisant l'achat d'un acte sexuel. Cet article décrit la lutte et les principaux acteurs ayant łuvré pour cette loi. Dans les années 80, nous avons attiré l'attention sur la prostitution et la traite des femmes dans une étude sur l'industrie de la pornographie, et ciblé les agences de tourisme sexuel organisant des voyages aux Philippines et en Thaïlande. Dans les années 90, nos membres ont demandé à leurs syndicats de prendre position contre la prostitution et contre la légalisation de la prostitution comme «travail». En 2006, le congrès de la Confédération norvégienne des syndicats a soutenu une loi criminalisant l'acheteur d'un acte sexuel, ce qui a eu un fort retentissement sur le Gouvernement de coalition de centre-gauche. Nous avons invité les dirigeants de la Coalition contre la traite des femmes vers la Norvège à rencontrer des parlementaires et des syndicalistes, et nous avons maintenu la pression. Dès le début, la priorité était d'améliorer la situation des femmes dans la prostitution. Nous avons exigé de meilleurs services sociaux et une formation professionnelle. La prostitution des rues, en particulier à Oslo, a été limitée, sans que la prostitution intérieure n'enregistre de croissance. Notre prochaine tâche est de participer à la campagne de sensibilisation « Acheter du sexe n'est pas un sport », en liaison avec la Coupe du monde de football, en Afrique du Sud en 2010.

Resumen

El Frente de Mujeres Noruegas lleva 30 años combatiendo la prostitución. En 2008 se aprobó en Noruega una ley que penaliza la compra de un acto sexual. En este artículo se describe la lucha y los actores principales en el cabildeo a favor de la ley. En la década de los ochenta, en un estudio de la industria pornográfica, creamos mayor conciencia de la prostitución y la trata de mujeres y nos dirigimos a las agencias de turismo sexual que organizan viajes a Filipinas y Tailandia. En la década de los noventa, nuestros miembros en sindicatos lograron que sus sindicatos tomaran una postura contra la prostitución y contra la legalización de ésta como “trabajo”. En 2006, el Congreso Noruego de la Confederación de Sindicatos apoyó una ley que penaliza al comprador de un acto sexual; esto tuvo un gran impacto en el Gobierno de coalición centro-izquierdista. Invitamos a Noruega los líderes de la Coalición contra la Trata de Mujeres para que se reunieran con parlamentarios y sindicalistas, y continuamos presionándolos. Desde un principio, el enfoque era mejorar la situación de las mujeres en prostitución. Nuestras demandas han sido por mejores servicios sociales y capacitación laboral. Se ha restringido la prostitución en las calles, especialmente en Oslo, y no se ha informado sobre un crecimiento en el mercado interno. Nuestra próxima tarea es participar en la campaña de concienciación “Comprar sexo no es un deporte” en conexión con la Copa Mundial de Fútbol, que se celebrará en Sudáfrica en 2010.

Key Words:

• human rights
• law and policy
• prostitution
• violence against women
• trafficking in women
• Norway

Notes

* In Christiania (Oslo), the brothels were closed in 1884 and the control of the women was stopped in 1888. In Bergen, the brothels were closed in 1876. Finally, the control of the women ended in all parts of Norway in 1899.

† Norwegian Penal Code Article 315.

* The law that gave women in Norway the right to legal abortion was passed in 1978.

† Liv Alvheim and Rannveig Snortheim.

* Fellesaksjonen mot pornografi.

† Liv Finstad is professor in criminology, University of Oslo.

** Cecilie Høigård is professor in criminology, University of Oslo.

†† Fellesaksjonen mot pornografi og prostitusjon.

*** Mandatory military service, 12 months, for all men.

††† GABRIELA, a network of women's organizations and female-dominated trade unions was formed in March 1984, and since 2004 a political party.

**** Oslo byrett, 16 October 1989.

* Karin Beate Theodorsen, Landsorganisasjonen i Norge, (LO) 20 August 1998. “Alle former for sexhandel og prostitusjon er brudd på kvinners menneskerettigheter.”

† Oslo, 20 August 1998. “Alle former for sexhandel og prostitusjon er brudd på kvinners menneskerettigheter.”

** Norsk Tjenestemannslag.

†† Interview with Hanna Helene Syse, senior advisor, Ministry of Defence, 18 August 2009.

* The guidelines were operating from 1 July 2007.

† Nettverk i Nord, 1997.

** At: <www.nikk.uio.no/?module=Articles;action=Article.publicShow;ID=505>.

†† The Women's Front was a founding member.

*** Krisesentersekretariatet <www.krisesenter.no>. This is the clearinghouse for all the crisis centres in Norway. The crisis centres give protection to women seeking shelter from abusive partners and violent relationships and have given safe houses to many trafficked women since 2005.

††† ROSA, monitored by the Secretariat of the Shelter Movement, was established in 2005 as a part of the government's Action Plan against Trafficking of Women and Children 2003–2005. The government in 2002-2005 was a coalition between the Christian Democratic Party, the Right Party and the Left Party. In the coalition only the Christian Democratic Party was in favour of criminalization. In 2006 the new three-party government, a coalition with a centre-left domination, came up with a new Action Plan against Human Trafficking 2006-2009. ROSA offers support and protection everywhere in Norway 24 hours a day for women who are victims of human trafficking. Tel: [phone]. At: <www.rosa-help.no>.

* Nettverk mot kriminalisering, 2003.

* At the Congress 2005 the following proposal was adopted in the Plan of Action: “The LO regards criminalization of the buyer as one of several measures to eliminate prostitution.” And “LO will combat prostitution by considering criminalization of the buyer, among other measures.”

† Oslo, 1 May 2006.

** Janice Raymond, Gunilla Ekberg and Esohe Aghatise.

†† The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) is a non-governmental organization that promotes the fundamental human rights of women to be free from sexual exploitation, including through trafficking in persons. CATW was involved in the negotiation sessions for drafting of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. CATW also targets the demand side such as by monitoring compliance with the Palermo Protocol, strengthening regional and national laws and policies, increasing criminal prosecutions and educating young men and boys to change harmful sexual attitudes about women.

*** Fagforbundet i Norge.

††† Oslo, 24 March 2007.

**** Oslo, 22 April 2007.

†††† The local branches of the youth organization Sosialistisk Ungdom and Arbeidernes Ungdomsfylking in Hordaland.

* Press conference, Ministry of Justice, 18 April 2008, Oslo.

† Utekontakten i Bergen.

** Nestleder Marit Sagen Grung, Utekontakten i Bergen, 10 August 2009.