Prostitution in Norway
[3] In early times, proscription of prostitution fell under more general laws on fornication and adultery, particularly after the Reformation.
Various institutions stated a desire to rescue 'fallen women', and help them exit their trade and 're-enter society', training them for positions such as domestic servants.
Amongst these were "societies for the defense of moral standards", concerned inter alia with prostitution and the government's failure to deal with it.
(UNESCO 1989, p. 13) Brothels were eventually prohibited in Norway in 1887 as part of a pan-European moral reform campaign of Abolitionism that replaced Regulationism and was supposed to end prostitution.
Liv Jessen from Pro-Sentret compared this to the punitive approach of the radical "Women's Front" (Kvinnefronten), a feminist activist group.
Any person who in a public announcement unambiguously offers, arranges or asks for prostitution shall be liable to fines or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.
Some people have been made to pay tax on their estimated earnings from prostitution, while some have registered as self-employed, to benefit from the rights that taxpayers have.
As a form of protest, it was suggested that some sex workers might operate free brothels that circumvent the ban, to make this point.
[25] The current law banning purchase creates an administrative anomaly, since any money earned is illegal, yet is taxable.
[17] In July 2014, the Nadheim City Mission has reported that street prostitution levels in Norway have returned to those prior to the introduction of the law in 2009.
[26] The possibility of criminalising the purchase of sex was discussed in an official report in 1997;[27] however, neither the Justice Department (Justis- og politidepartementet) nor the Storting (Parliament) were in favour of taking this step.
[28] Norway then criminalised the purchase of sex from people under the age of 18 in 2000 (Law 76, 11 August; Penal Code art.
In 2003, as part of its Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Women and Children ,[31] the Justice Ministry investigated the situation in both the Netherlands (which had recently legalised brothels) and Sweden to better inform the debate, and concluded that neither approach would be appropriate at that point.
[30] [32] The working group for this report was chaired by Professor Ulf Stridbeck, of Oslo University's law school.
The debate which finally led to the introduction of the sex purchase ban concerned the effects of the arrival of women from Africa, typically Nigerian, on the streets of Norway.
[39] A 2012 report on violence against sex workers [41] created considerable interest in the media and a questioning of the law's effects.
[47][48] Other reports suggest that despite some initial decline in street prostitution when the new law was introduced, the number of people selling sex is now greater than ever.
[49] Norwegians were also interested in a report released in July 2010 in Sweden, since it suggested a large increase in prostitution in neighbouring Nordic countries, once the Swedish law came into effect.
The bill passed 44 to 28, with the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet, A/Ap), Socialist Left (Sosialistisk Venstreparti, SV), Centre (Senterpartiet, Sp), and Christian Democrats (Kristelig Folkeparti, KrF) voting in favour, and the Conservatives, Progress Party, and Liberals voting against.
[68][69] Following revelations that selling sex was as prevalent as ever, and that reporters posing as clients were easily able to negotiate transactions, Conservative MP André Oktay Dahl, deputy chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice (Justiskomiteen), called for a repeal of the law,[70] as did his fellow Progress Party member Ase Michaelsen.
Critics of the law include Sveinung Rotevatn (V) and Conservative leader Trond Helleland, as well as the Green (De Grønne, MDG) (1 seat).
[48] Marthe Hammer (SV), leader of her party's women's movement, sees the law as having symbolic value, sending a message that buying sex is unacceptable.
[52] The twelve member Justice Committee is currently chaired by Hadia Tajik (A), a strong supporter of the law, with Anders Bjørnsen Werp (H) and Kjell Ingolf Ropstad (KrF) as deputies.
News from the Nadheim City Mission in July 2014 that the levels of prostitution in Norway had returned to those before the introduction of the law, reignited the debate, with Rotevatn stating that there was a sufficient majority in parliament to rescind the law, and that unless the evaluation produced startlingly positive results, this should now proceed.
[74][75] Despite political opposition a January 2014 survey estimated the law having 65% support,[76] but at least one newspaper editorial has called for repeal.
[79] The issue has now moved into the area of public and political debate; one of the arguments being whether this is merely a matter of whether morality should be legislated, or whether it is about the protection of the vulnerable.
It provides health care, social services, legal assistance, and counselling to sex workers of all genders.
[92] In 1886, Christian Krohg wrote a novel titled Albertine (see illustration above) about a seamstress of that name living in what was then Christiana (Oslo) forced into prostitution by poverty and abuse.
Although the book was confiscated, and Krogh was fined, the ensuing debate expedited the abolition of prostitution in Norway.
[95] Norway is a destination and, to a lesser extent, transit and source country for women and girls subjected to sex trafficking.
