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Sex, straff och röda lyktor - En komparativ studie om sexköpskriminaliseringens vara eller icke vara

Berndtsson, Isa LU (2024) LAGF03 20241
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
The aim of this essay is to investigate the political reasons behind the Swedish criminalization and the Danish non-criminalization of the purchase of sexual services, and whether these purposes align with the requirement that a prohibition should be effective to be considered justified. The investigation is based on a legal doctrinal and comparative method combined with a critical, political, and comparative perspective.

For a criminalization to be deemed justified, it must be effective in counteracting the undesirable behavior. This effectiveness requirement is traditionally interpreted in two ways: either the prohibition should have a negative impact on the frequency of the act, or it should lead to a higher prosecution rate of... (More)
The aim of this essay is to investigate the political reasons behind the Swedish criminalization and the Danish non-criminalization of the purchase of sexual services, and whether these purposes align with the requirement that a prohibition should be effective to be considered justified. The investigation is based on a legal doctrinal and comparative method combined with a critical, political, and comparative perspective.

For a criminalization to be deemed justified, it must be effective in counteracting the undesirable behavior. This effectiveness requirement is traditionally interpreted in two ways: either the prohibition should have a negative impact on the frequency of the act, or it should lead to a higher prosecution rate of those who commit the criminalized deed. In addition to these interpretations, there is an increasingly more common reinterpretation of the principle, which holds that criminalization is also effective if the state clearly expresses a stance against a certain act.

Sweden's criminalization of the purchase of sexual services was motivated by the importance of combating prostitution as a societal concern, where the purpose of the prohibition was to counteract the occurrence of sex trade. Additionally, arguments were made that the criminalization clarified society's stance on the issue. However, the criminalization was criticized by many, including the Danish legislator, for not considering the principle of effective legislation, as its preventive effect on the number of sex purchases was presumed to be limited.

In summary, the conclusion is that Denmark's choice not to criminalize the purchase of sexual services is based on a traditional view of the effectiveness requirement, where prohibitions expected to be ineffective should not be implemented. The Swedish criminalization of purchases of sexual services, on the other hand, is based on a reinterpretation of the principle, which means that criminalization is justified when it clearly communicates that sex trade is an activity that society finds reprehensible. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Uppsatsen syftar till att utreda de kriminalpolitiska skäl som ligger bakom den svenska och danska kriminaliseringen respektive icke-kriminaliseringen av köp av sexuella tjänster. Därutöver diskuteras huruvida dessa motiv är förenliga med kravet på att ett straffstadgande ska vara effektivt för att kriminaliseringen ska anses vara befogad. Utredningen grundar sig dels i en rättsdogmatisk, dels i en komparativ metod i samband med ett kritisk, rättspolitiskt och komparativt perspektiv.

För att en kriminalisering ska anses vara befogad krävs att straffstadgandet utgör ett effektivt medel i motverkandet av det icke önskvärda beteendet. Detta effektivitetskrav tolkas traditionellt på två sätt, antingen skall straffstadgandet påverka... (More)
Uppsatsen syftar till att utreda de kriminalpolitiska skäl som ligger bakom den svenska och danska kriminaliseringen respektive icke-kriminaliseringen av köp av sexuella tjänster. Därutöver diskuteras huruvida dessa motiv är förenliga med kravet på att ett straffstadgande ska vara effektivt för att kriminaliseringen ska anses vara befogad. Utredningen grundar sig dels i en rättsdogmatisk, dels i en komparativ metod i samband med ett kritisk, rättspolitiskt och komparativt perspektiv.

För att en kriminalisering ska anses vara befogad krävs att straffstadgandet utgör ett effektivt medel i motverkandet av det icke önskvärda beteendet. Detta effektivitetskrav tolkas traditionellt på två sätt, antingen skall straffstadgandet påverka frekvensen av den aktuella gärningstypen negativt eller så ska det leda till att den som företar den straffbelagda gärningen i högre grad upptäcks och lagförs. Till dessa tolkningar kan läggas ytterligare en allt vanligare omtolkning av principen, vilken menar att en kriminalisering dessutom är effektiv om statsmakten genom straffbudet får ge uttryck för ett klart ställningstagande gentemot en viss gärning.

Sveriges sexköpskriminalisering motiverades genom att prostitutionsbekämpningen var en viktig samhällsangelägenhet, där straffstadgandets syfte var att motverka sexhandelns förekomst. Därutöver framfördes argument kring att straffbudet klargjorde samhällets inställning i frågan, där statsmakten markerade tydligt mot en normalisering av prostitutionen. Kriminaliseringsbeslutet kritiserades dock, bland annat av den danska lagstiftaren, för att inte leva upp till principen om effektiv lagstiftning, eftersom förbudets preventiva effekt på antalet sexköp förmodades vara begränsad.

Sammanfattningsvis landar slutsatsen i att det danska valet att inte kriminalisera sexköp grundar sig i en traditionell syn på effektivitetskravet, där straffstadganden som förväntas bli ineffektiva inte ska genomföras. Det svenska sexköpsförbudet baseras i stället på en nytolkning av principen, vilken innebär att kriminaliseringen är befogad då den gör klart för de prostituerades kundkrets att sexhandeln är en verksamhet som samhället finner förkastlig. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Berndtsson, Isa LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20241
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
straffrätt, komparativ rätt
language
Swedish
id
9152752
date added to LUP
2024-06-26 11:38:01
date last changed
2024-06-26 11:38:01
@misc{9152752,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this essay is to investigate the political reasons behind the Swedish criminalization and the Danish non-criminalization of the purchase of sexual services, and whether these purposes align with the requirement that a prohibition should be effective to be considered justified. The investigation is based on a legal doctrinal and comparative method combined with a critical, political, and comparative perspective. 

For a criminalization to be deemed justified, it must be effective in counteracting the undesirable behavior. This effectiveness requirement is traditionally interpreted in two ways: either the prohibition should have a negative impact on the frequency of the act, or it should lead to a higher prosecution rate of those who commit the criminalized deed. In addition to these interpretations, there is an increasingly more common reinterpretation of the principle, which holds that criminalization is also effective if the state clearly expresses a stance against a certain act.

Sweden's criminalization of the purchase of sexual services was motivated by the importance of combating prostitution as a societal concern, where the purpose of the prohibition was to counteract the occurrence of sex trade. Additionally, arguments were made that the criminalization clarified society's stance on the issue. However, the criminalization was criticized by many, including the Danish legislator, for not considering the principle of effective legislation, as its preventive effect on the number of sex purchases was presumed to be limited.

In summary, the conclusion is that Denmark's choice not to criminalize the purchase of sexual services is based on a traditional view of the effectiveness requirement, where prohibitions expected to be ineffective should not be implemented. The Swedish criminalization of purchases of sexual services, on the other hand, is based on a reinterpretation of the principle, which means that criminalization is justified when it clearly communicates that sex trade is an activity that society finds reprehensible.}},
  author       = {{Berndtsson, Isa}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Sex, straff och röda lyktor - En komparativ studie om sexköpskriminaliseringens vara eller icke vara}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}