Prostitution in Iceland

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Prostitution in Iceland is thriving despite paying for sex being illegal. [1]

Contents

The police have stated that they do not have the resources to enforce the law. Consequently, a vigilante group called "Stóra systir" ("Big Sister") has been formed. [2]

A report published in 2017 by the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police states that prostitution had "exploded" in the previous 18 months. [1] The vast majority of prostitutes in the country are foreign. [1] Police believe prostitution in Iceland is partially tied to organised crime and human trafficking. [1] The police have also stated that it is currently difficult for them to combat suspected human trafficking because the alleged victims often refuse to cooperate with the police and testify or file charges. [3]

The country has become a sex tourism destination. [4] According to the police report, prostitution often takes place in downtown Airbnb apartments. [3]

History

Before 2007, selling sex was illegal: according to the 206th article of the Icelandic Penal Code (almenn hegningarlög): "Anyone engaging in prostitution for own upkeep shall be subject to imprisonment for up to 2 years." That paragraph was deleted in 2007, as the "government argues most people who solicit sex do so because they have no other choice or because they are forced into prostitution by others. By making soliciting sex legal, the government believes individuals who have been forced into prostitution would rather come forward and lead police to those responsible." [5] [6] This move was supported by international women's groups. [7]

In 2009, paying for sex was outlawed, criminalizing the clients, while selling sex remained decriminalized. The new law placed Iceland in line with Sweden and Norway, Canada also introduced a similar law in 2014.

Nordic Model

In April 2009, the Icelandic Parliament passed new legislation that makes paying for sex illegal (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute). [8] [9] [10] [11] Prostitutes, however, like in Sweden, still commit a crime if they work together as this constitutes "running a brothel".[ citation needed ] A 2007 poll demonstrated that "70% of Icelanders were in favour of criminalizing the buying of sex. There is a marked difference between the views of men and women; approximately 83% of women are in favour of a ban whilst 57% of men support a ban." [12]

The original plan, by the then Minister of Social Affairs, Ásta Ragnheiður Jóhannesdóttir, included both prostitution and stripping. [13] A strip club ban in Iceland has been in place since 2010. [14] [15] Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, Iceland's former prime minister, who is openly lesbian, said: "The Nordic countries are leading the way on women's equality, recognizing women as equal citizens rather than commodities for sale." [16] The politician behind the bill, Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir, said: "It is not acceptable that women or people in general are a product to be sold." [16] The law is supported by Icelandic feminists. [17] Internationally, radical feminists, such as Julie Bindel, have celebrated the ban as a landmark decision for feminism. [18] Other bloggers disagree, arguing that it may drive the industry underground. [19] [20] Feminist views on prostitution vary.

Legacy

There is little soliciting for street prostitution since the law came into effect. Many prostitutes have taken to advertising through dating websites, although the sites have a policy of removing suspicious profiles. Sex workers also find clients by word of mouth. Iceland's courts heard 20 cases relating to prostitution charges between the advent of the new law and April 2013. Most resulted in convictions, but the penalties are light and the names of some of those found guilty have been kept anonymous. Icelandic police say that a lack of cash and staff prevent them from rigorously enforcing the law. [21]

Sex trafficking

A US report concludes that Iceland is a destination and transit country for women subjected to sex trafficking. Women from Eastern Europe and South America are subjected to sex trafficking, often in nightclubs and bars. Traffickers reportedly exploit the visa-free regime in the Schengen Zone and the European Economic Area to bring victims to Iceland for up to three months and move them out of the country before they must register with local authorities. [22]

Article 227a of the criminal code criminalises both sex trafficking and forced labor and prescribes penalties of up to 12 years imprisonment. [22]

The United States Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons downgraded Iceland's ranking in 2017 from a 'Tier 1' to a 'Tier 2' country. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in the United Kingdom</span> Overview of the legality and practice of prostitution in the United Kingdom

In Great Britain, the act of engaging in sex as part of an exchange of various sexual services for money is legal, but a number of related activities, including soliciting in a public place, kerb crawling, owning or managing a brothel, pimping and pandering, are illegal. In Northern Ireland, which previously had similar laws, paying for sex became illegal from 1 June 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in Asia</span>

The legality of prostitution in Asia varies by country. There is often a significant difference in Asia between prostitution laws and the practice of prostitution. In 2011, the Asian Commission on AIDS estimated there were 10 million sex workers in Asia and 75 million male customers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in the United States</span> History of prostitution in the U.S.

Prostitution is illegal in the vast majority of the United States as a result of state laws rather than federal laws. It is, however, legal in some rural counties within the state of Nevada. Prostitution nevertheless occurs elsewhere in the country.

The laws on prostitution in Sweden make it illegal to buy sex, but not to sell the use of one's own body for such services. Procuring and operating a brothel remain illegal. The criminalisation of the purchase of sex, but not the selling of one's own body for sex, was unique when first enacted in Sweden in 1999. Since then, this "Nordic model" for sex trade legislation has been adopted in several other nations.

Prostitution in Denmark was partly decriminalised in 1999, based partly on the premise that it was easier to police a legal trade than an illegal one. Third-party activities, such as profiting from brothel administration and other forms of procuring, remain illegal activities in Denmark, as do pimping and prostitution of minors.

Prostitution in Greece is legal at the age of 18, and regulated. It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 women are legally employed as prostitutes and approximately 20,000 women, half of whom are of foreign origin and the other half are Greek, are engaged in illegal prostitution. Many women affected by the economic crisis have turned to prostitution through poverty.

Prostitution in Norway is illegal and a criminal act when sexual acts are purchased, but not when sold. The Norwegian law prohibiting the buying of sexual acts came into effect on 1 January 2009, following the passing of new legislation by the Norwegian parliament in November 2008. Soliciting and advertising "sexual services" is also illegal under the Norwegian Criminal Code section 378 and section 202(3).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution</span> Engaging in sexual relations in exchange for payment

Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact with the customer. The requirement of physical contact also creates the risk of transferring diseases. Prostitution is sometimes described as sexual services, commercial sex or, colloquially, hooking. It is sometimes referred to euphemistically as "the world's oldest profession" in the English-speaking world. A person who works in this field is called a prostitute, and often a sex worker.

Current laws passed by the Parliament of Canada in 2014 make it illegal to purchase or advertise sexual services and illegal to live on the material benefits from sex work. The law officially enacted criminal penalties for "Purchasing sexual services and communicating in any place for that purpose."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in Europe</span> Overview of the legality and practice of prostitution around Europe

The legality of prostitution in Europe varies by country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex industry</span> Field of business

The sex industry consists of businesses that either directly or indirectly provide sex-related products and services or adult entertainment. The industry includes activities involving direct provision of sex-related services, such as prostitution, strip clubs, host and hostess clubs and sex-related pastimes, such as pornography, sex-oriented men's magazines, sex movies, sex toys and fetish or BDSM paraphernalia. Sex channels for television and pre-paid sex movies for video on demand, are part of the sex industry, as are adult movie theaters, sex shops, peep shows, and strip clubs. The sex industry employs millions of people worldwide, mainly women. These range from the sex worker, also called adult service provider (ASP) or adult sex provider, who provides sexual services, to a multitude of support personnel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feminist views on prostitution</span>

There exists a diversity of feminist views on prostitution. Many of these positions can be loosely arranged into an overarching standpoint that is generally either critical or supportive of prostitution and sex work. The discourse surrounding prostitution is often discussed assuming sex workers are women, but those in the field of sex work and prostitution are not always women.

The legal status of striptease varies considerably among different countries and the various jurisdictions of the United States. Striptease is considered a form of public nudity and subject to changing legal and cultural attitudes on moral and decency grounds. Some countries do not have any restrictions on performances of striptease. In some countries, public nudity is outlawed directly, while in other countries it may be suppressed or regulated indirectly through devices such as restrictions on venues through planning laws, or licensing regulations, or liquor licensing and other restrictions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in Africa</span> Overview of the legality and practice of prostitution in Africa

The legal status of prostitution in Africa varies widely. It is frequently common in practice, partially driven by the widespread poverty in many sub-Saharan African countries, and is one of the drivers for the prevalence of AIDS in Africa. Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire permit the operations of brothels. In other countries, prostitution may be legal, but brothels are not allowed to operate. In some countries where prostitution is illegal, the law is rarely enforced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution law</span> Legality of prostitution

Prostitution laws varies widely from country to country, and between jurisdictions within a country. At one extreme, prostitution or sex work is legal in some places and regarded as a profession, while at the other extreme, it is considered a severe crime punishable by death in some other places.

Prostitution in Botswana is not illegal, but laws such as public disorder, vagrancy, loitering and state recognised religious provisions are used to prosecute prostitutes. Related activities such as soliciting and brothel keeping are illegal. Botswana has made proposals to make prostitution legal to prevent the spread of AIDS. However, there has been mass opposition to it by the Catholic Church. Prostitution is widespread and takes place on the street, bars, hotels, brothels and the cabs of long-distance trucks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in the Americas</span>

Legality of prostitution in the Americas varies by country. Most countries only legalized prostitution, with the act of exchanging money for sexual services legal. The level of enforcement varies by country. One country, the United States, is unique as legality of prostitution is not the responsibility of the federal government, but rather state, territorial, and federal district's responsibility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostitution in Oceania</span> Legality of prostitution in Oceania

Prostitution in Oceania varies greatly across the region. In American Samoa, for instance, prostitution is illegal, whereas in New Zealand most aspects of the trade are decriminalised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nordic model approach to prostitution</span> Approach to prostitution law first instituted in Sweden in 1999

The Nordic model approach to prostitution, also known as the end demand, equality model, neo-abolitionism, partial decriminalization, and Swedish model, is an approach to prostitution law. It has been adopted in three of the five Nordic countries, but has no connection to the Nordic model, which is a socioeconomic model. Under the Nordic model, sex buyers are criminalized while prostitutes are decriminalized; typically, prostitutes can sell their own services but auxiliary procuration services, such as pimping, brothel-keeping, and third-party advertising remain illegal. The main objective of the model is to decrease the demand for prostitution by punishing the purchase of sexual services in order to decrease the volume of the illegal sex industry overall.

Clients of prostitutes or sex workers are sometimes known as johns or tricks in North America and punters in Britain and Ireland. In common parlance among prostitutes as well as with others, the act of negotiating and then engaging with a client is referred to as turning a trick. Female clients are sometimes called janes, although the vast majority of prostitution clients are male in almost all countries.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Organized Crime and Prostitution on the rise in Iceland". Iceland Monitor. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  2. ↑ "Big Sister Watches Buyers of Prostitution in Iceland". Iceland Review. 19 October 2011.
  3. 1 2 Demurtas, Alice (14 March 2018). "Prostitution In Iceland Mostly Occurring In AirBnB Apartments". grapevine.is. grapevine. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  4. ↑ Hafstað, Vala (26 August 2015). "Sex Tourism a Problem in Iceland". Iceland Review. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "Prostitution legal in Iceland". Iceland Review. 27 March 2007.
  6. ↑ "Land of double morale". Iceland Review. 30 March 2007.
  7. ↑ "A Place for Prostitution? Gender Equality and Respect in Modern Societies". International Alliance of Women. 8 June 2007. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010.
  8. ↑ "Fréttir / A new law makes purchase of sex illegal in Iceland". Jafnréttisstofa. 21 April 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018.
  9. ↑ "News from Iceland: it is now criminalised to buy women in prostitution! European Policy Action Centre on Violence against Women". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  10. ↑ "Iceland to ban sex purchases, strip clubs". AFP. 18 March 2009. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012.
  11. ↑ "Buying sex punishable in Iceland". NIKK. 3 June 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
  12. ↑ "Notes on Iceland's Sixth Periodic Report on the Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women". The Icelandic Human Rights Centre. July 2008. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013.
  13. ↑ "Iceland to Ban Stripping and Prostitution". Iceland Review. 18 March 2009.
  14. ↑ "Iceland outlaws striptease". Ice News. 24 March 2010.
  15. ↑ "Iceland bans striptease shows". Independent (Ireland). 26 March 2010.
  16. 1 2 "Iceland's stripping ban". Salon. 26 March 2010.
  17. ↑ "Feminist Society Demands Government Action". The Reykjavik Grapevine. 19 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011.
  18. ↑ Bindel, Julie (25 March 2010). "Iceland: the world's most feminist country". The Guardian.
  19. ↑ Perez, Miriam (29 March 2010). "Iceland bans strip clubs: A victory for feminism?". Feministing. Archived from the original on 1 April 2010.
  20. ↑ Filipovic, Jill (26 March 2010). "Iceland bans strip clubs". Feministe.
  21. ↑ "Naked ambition". The Economist. Reykjavik. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  22. 1 2 3 "Iceland 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2018.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
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