Swedish police stats show more, not less, prostitution and trafficking

[scribbles 6031]

An interesting report, but problematic. You could assume that if the police are being asked to step up their efforts, it's because there is a greater presence of that which they are being asked to target. But, that's speculation. All the data in the report shows is that there are more cases of arrest and/or conviction for those crimes. I'm sure if LE locally were to make a more concerned effort to target prostitution at all levels, there would be data showing more arrests and convictions here too. It doesn't mean that there is an increase in the thing they are targeting, only that there are more arrests and convictions.

 

I read a book by Katie Riophe once that made the same argument for the AIDS epidemic. Her argument was that AIDS and HIV were not spreading any faster or effecting any greater a percentage of the population, rather it was just being diagnosed and reported more than it had been previously.

 

I'm certainly not a fan of the Swedish model, but I wouldn't take this report to be a credible or powerful slam against it. It doesn't really concretely prove that it's ineffective.

[etasman2000 15994]

I read a book by Katie Riophe once that made the same argument for the AIDS epidemic. Her argument was that AIDS and HIV were not spreading any faster or effecting any greater a percentage of the population, rather it was just being diagnosed and reported more than it had been previously.

 

This has been observed in other medical issues as well including ADD i.e. it isn't an isolated event.

[Nerd22 100]

I think everybody should follow the amsterdam model that way it will be easier on everybody

[SamanthaEvans 166767]

I think the important point is that the statements that this particular model reduces sex trafficking and prostitution is patently false. The Nordic law is not a deterrent to anyone--traffickers, prostitutes or the men who seek their services. Interestingly, in past years when the numbers of men charged were larger--2003 and 2005--the conviction rates were lower than in other years.

[scribbles 6031]

I'm not sure it proves anything false. Unless we have a pre-law baseline number of of prostitutes and clients and a post-law headcount that shows fewer, all this report shows is more are being caught. There could, in fact, have been an unquantifiable decrease in the sex worker and consumer population. These statistics don't show that or disprove it either.

How would anyone show a decrease in prostitution in Ottawa, or Canada as a whole? By using arrest reports, which already show a very low per capita % of the population being charged with prostitution? That's like saying that because I saw two red cars on the road today, there are more red cars being sold than before.

At the same time, this is why I find any complaint that there is some sort of "epidemic" of prostitution flawed and meaningless. The method of getting to that conclusion is always anecdotal.