WUNRN
18/03/2009
Iceland to Ban Stripping and Prostitution
Minister of Social Affairs Ásta Ragnheidur Jóhannesdóttir presented an
action plan against human trafficking yesterday, which includes placing bans on
operating strip clubs and purchasing sexual services.
It
is hoped that the ban will take effect before the parliamentary elections on
April 25.
From the strip club Goldfinger. Photo
by Páll Stefánsson. Taken in relation to Sara Blask's feature "Dancer in the Dark" published in
the 2006 winter issue of Iceland Review.
“Human
trafficking is the most disgusting form of international and organized crime
that exists in the world,” Jóhannesdóttir said while presenting the 25-point
action plan, Fréttabladid reports.
In
2007, with an amendment to existing legislation, prostitution was legalized in Iceland as long
as a third party doesn’t profit from it.
After
Jóhannesdóttir presented the action plan, MP for the Left-Greens Atli Gíslason
presented a bill on banning the purchase of sexual services, which is backed by
other MPs from the government parties and the Progressive Party.
“A
complete victory has been achieved after many years of fighting by women’s
rights organization and other social organizations—and no less by MPs who have
often submitted bills on this topic to Althingi [the parliament],”
Jóhannesdóttir said. “I’m one of them and so this day is an especially happy
day for me.”
The
new bill will not criminalize the solicitation of sex, which Jóhannesdóttir
described as the “Swedish approach” to combating human trafficking.
================================================================
To contact the list administrator, or to leave the list, send an email to: wunrn_listserve-request@lists.wunrn.com.
Thank you.