The police’s new strategy and a tougher punishment seem to have had an effect. A record number of sex buyers have been identified and sought out in the police’s new initiative Torsk 2.0 – the youngest 16 and the oldest 74.
– I have never witnessed that we took so many people in such an incredibly short time, says Simon Häggström, police inspector at the Norrmalm Police.
Cod 2.0 – that’s the name of the police’s new initiative aimed at sex buyers in the country. During the operation, 136 men were identified and sought out in Stockholm during four evenings last week.
One of those who confronted the sex buyers was Simon Häggström, police inspector at the Norrmalm police.
– I have never seen us take so many in such an incredibly short time. Nevertheless, we are aware that we only create on the surface, says Simon Häggström in Nyhetsmorgon Wednesday.
– It has been a very effective operation, he continues.
Penalty increase
A toughening of penalties in the summer of 2022, where the minimum penalty for buying sex was raised from daily fines to one month in prison, has enabled the police to work more aggressively against sex buyers.
– We can sort of be tougher in how we go about it. And it shows now too, the result simply shows, says Simon Häggström.
Simon Häggström says that the youngest identified sex buyer was 16 years old, and the oldest 74 years old.
The police’s new strategy
The police’s new working method against sex buyers is also considered to have been a success factor in the successful operation where a record number of sex buyers were identified.
– Previously, during operation cod 1.0, we went out to an address and sat there scouting and waiting for the men to actually arrive and then they were arrested on the spot.
Today, the police work much more with “outreach work”.
– We are constantly trying to find where these women are, and work a lot on the trust-building conversation together with social services.
– When we create this trust, we also notice that very many of the women we meet actually start telling us about the men they have met. Because a lot of men in this world treat these women a lot
bad and very disrespectful.
Offered call processing
The men in the 136 investigations are now facing imminent negotiations in the district court.
During the operation, social workers from the city of Stockholm also participated who, in addition to the police’s repressive measures, were able to offer conversation therapy with the aim of breaking destructive behaviour.
– Among those we spoke to during the effort, 78 percent agreed to a first call, says Malin Andersson, outreach social secretary at Nyhetsmorgon.
Today 07:06