Är prostitution ett uttryck för brist på jämställdhet? : En studie av den unika sexköpslagen

Our purpose with this essay is to find explanations to the genesis of the Swedish law against prostitution now in power, known as Sexköpslagen 1998:408. We enter deeply into the official reports behind the law. This Swedish law implies that in a sex trade a crime is committed only by the consumer, and not by the seller. Our essay will result in an analysis of what sexköpslagen is an expression for. Our assumption is that the so called ideology of (gender) equality in Sweden might be a part of the explanation to the genesis of sexköpslagen. The question at issue, which we will try to give an answer to is: Why was a prohibition against buying sexual services introduced in Sweden? To be able to study the unique law we will make some international comparisons in order to relate the Swedish law to other countries’ regulations. The method of our essay is to analysis material that mainly consists of official reports and preparatory to the law. The process to the Swedish law was complicated and protracted. Political discussions about a criminalization began in the 1970 but it would take thirty years before the law was applied. Of crucial importance to the law now in power was the women union of the social democracy party. In order to meet the aim of our essay we analyze our material with the theory of the Swedish women movements and how they put the question of equality on the political agenda. Our conclusion is that prostitution is considered to be an expression for lack of (gender) equality