Norway to adopt Swedish-style prostitution law

The Norwegian government is planning implement its promise to copy Sweden’s approach to prostitution, which involves criminalising men who buy sex, while protecting people in prostitution from prosecution, reports Reuters.

“People are not merchandise, and criminalising the purchase of sexual services will make it less attractive for human traffickers to look to Norway,” Justice Minister Knut Storberget said in a statement.

Storberget refuted suggestions (also raised in objection to the situation in Sweden), that this would make life worse for prostitutes:

“Criminalisation shall not lead to a worse situation for the prostitutes,” Storberget said, adding that the government had taken other steps to get prostitutes out of the business.

Of course, it’s not that surprising to see Norway going in this direction – a country with a pretty decent record on pursuing gender equality.

(Via womensphere)