Interior Minister says law on sex trade working poorly

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Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund (Nat. Coalition Party) says that the law making it a crime to buy sex services under certain conditions is not working well in its present form. It has been a crime in Finland to buy sex services from victims of pimping and human trafficking since October 2006.
      However, there have been no convictions under the new law, even though the police have uncovered a few procurement organisations while the law has been in force.
      Police in Helsinki reported on Friday that they had uncovered a large Russian-led organisation, which is suspected of running a prostitution ring involving 150 women in 19 Finnish cities and towns from 2005 to 2007. No customers were arrested in the case.
     
"A year is a short time to draw any conclusions, but it seems that the law is not working as it is written now", Holmlund said to Helsingin Sanomat.
      According to the Interior Minister it is hard for a buyer to know if a prostitute is a victim of human trafficking or pimping. Furthermore, even if the buyer knows, it would be hard to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
      Holmlund feels that it would be clearer if the purchase of sex services were either completely forbidden, or fully allowed.
      "It would be good if the Ministry of Justice were to clarify the matter", she says.
     
The Ministry of Justice, which prepared the draft legislation, initially wanted a total ban on buying sex services. Parliament changed the draft to the form that is on the books now.
      Minister of Justice Tuija Brax (Green) has not responded to requests for interviews, but her aide said that the minister feels that "the present situation does not look good".
      Brax says that the Ministry of Justice has set up a working group a few weeks ago to consider the issue. According to Brax's aide Ari Heikkinen, it is premature to assess whether or not the working group will come out in favour of changing the law.
      The working group is somewhat exceptional, as it has not been given a written mandate, and it comprises Brax herself and a few civil servants.
      Police have not managed to catch the main suspects in the latest case, because they live in Russia, and Russia has had a policy in force since the summer of 2006 under which it refuses to interrogate its citizens at the request of other countries.
     
Holmlund feels that the Russian policy is frustrating for Finland.
      "We should be intensifying the fight against cross-border crime. This practice certainly does not improve the situation, and it could make it worse."
      Holmlund plans to discuss the matter with the Russian Minister of Justice, who is coming to Finland in November.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Police say many well-known hotels used by Russian prostitution ring (19.10.2007)
  Police in Salo change course on brothel investigation (15.1.2007)
  Police suspect some Helsinki Thai massage parlours of procurement (10.10.2007)

Helsingin Sanomat