3:17 p.m.
Dears,
the rektor of Södertorn University has received a letter form Childx organization
complaining about the title of the conference I am organizing in May. They attack the use
of sex work as contributing to harms of women selling sex.
This is a citation form the letter:
Begreppet sex worker (sexarbetare) har etablerats av sexindustrin och senare fått fäste
inom vissa akademiska och aktivistiska kretsar, och är en term som rymmer normativa
implikationer. Termen kan ge intrycket av att prostitution är ett arbete jämställt med
andra yrken, trots att svensk lag och policy – genom sexköpslagen och den abolitionistiska
hållningen – tydligt markerar att prostitution inte ska betraktas som legitimt arbete utan
som en form av exploatering och våld.
My supervisor supports me but I have to prepare a very well formulated response. You have
definitely more knowledge about how the Swedish context work, do you have any ideas how to
best address it?
Best
Anna
3:55 p.m.
Dear Anna
I would suggest a calm and academic approach, informing the Rektor that the letter and its
accusations is a common and well documented abolitionist strategy to hinder or disturb
empirical based scholarship into sex work and prostitution, and keeping it short.
In my thesis I write about the choice of terminology (see below, as well page 46 and
onwards), as well as these tactics and what it is like to do research in a hostile
environment (page 117). Do use whatever you find fit.
Perhaps our scheduled seminar in the week after next, where Isabelle and I planned to
discuss the challenges of researching sex work, is very timely. We will send out
information next week.
Cheers
Petra
Petra Östergren PhD
Writer and Social Anthropologist
Website: www.petraostergren.com <https://www.petraostergren.com/>
Östergren, P (2024) Sweden’s Ban on Sex-Purchase. Morality politics and the governance of
prostitution
<https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/200142992/Avhandling_Petra_stergren_LUCRIS.pdf>
Sex work or prostitution?
Scholars are rightly expected to explain why we use ‘sex work’ instead of ‘prostitution’,
but I am also wary of the risk that if researchers endlessly reproduce lengthy
justifications, we will reproduce the anxiety surrounding the issue itself. Moreover,
debates over terminology are often proxies for more fundamental matters that the discourse
does not come to grips with. In my terminology, I take a slightly more relaxed approach,
while still being precise.
Although sex work has been part of the English language since the early 1930s and sex
worker has been in use since the early 1970s (OED 2024a, b), it was sex worker Carol Leigh
(1997) who popularised the term in the early 1980s, as activists in the US sex workers’
movement asserted that their occupation should be recognised and accorded rights similar
to those of other working people. Other activists and scholars were quick to discuss and
apply this phrase (see Chapkis 1997; Kempadoo and Doezema 1998; Nagle 1997; Perkins et al.
1994; Rubin 1992). Since then, the choice between sex work or prostitution and sex worker
or
46
prostitute has been contentious and part of the struggle to define meanings in the
feminist ‘sex wars’ (Snitow et al. 1983; Vance 1992a). In Sweden, when the term sex work
was first used, social commentators likened it to ‘The invasion of the body snatchers’,
the 1970s movie where the earth was insidiously invaded by aliens (Ohlsson 2002). Today,
in upholding, defending and expanding Sweden’s policy, the government sees it as one of
its tasks to counteract the use of the term ‘sex work’ (Socialdepartementet 2017; Regnér
et al. 2016).
In social science research, the choice of terminology has largely reflected divisions
between differing understandings of commercial sex. Sex work and sex workers are used
mainly by those with a multifaceted approach, and prostitution and prostitutes by those
with an oppression paradigm (for these different approaches, see Chapter 2). Today, there
are signs of a more relaxed use of ‘prostitution’, but ‘prostitute’ is rarely used because
this term signals passivity, reflecting a person’s social and psychological state rather
than their actions and choices (see Kempadoo and Doezema 1998).
As anthropologists Susan Dewey, Treena Orchard and Tiantian Zheng (2015) say, using emic
terminology presents challenges when even the use of the phrase ‘sex work’ ignites
debates. Moreover, as researchers studying sex work reflect on our conversations with
others, we realise that people have vastly different experiences of and attitudes toward
selling sexual services. Some embrace the terms sex work and sex worker, while others
distance themselves from this terminology because of its political or Western
connotations. Still others regard the distinction between sex worker and prostitute as
irrelevant; they see the activity as a practical way of securing drugs, housing, or money
to meet their basic needs (Dewey et al. 2015; Lakkimsetti 2020; Östergren 2006, Skilbrei
2019).
I alternate between these terms to respect the diversity of experiences within and
perspectives on the sex trade. As Susan Dewey, sociologist Isabel Crowhurst, and
anthropologist and social work scholar Chimaraoke Izugbara (Crowhurst et al. 2021) say, I
seek to account for the differing positions along the field’s political spectrum, not to
dilute those differences but to encompass them. Another reason to alternate terms is that
they reflect how different legislatures define the sex trade and the legal status of
individuals selling sex in their jurisdictions. While it is possible to talk about sex
work and sex workers in law and policy terms in the New Zealand context, this is not the
case in Sweden.
27 feb. 2025 kl. 15:17 skrev Anna Ratecka via Fosme
<fosme(a)lists.sunet.se>:
Dears,
the rektor of Södertorn University has received a letter form Childx organization
complaining about the title of the conference I am organizing in May. They attack the use
of sex work as contributing to harms of women selling sex.
This is a citation form the letter:
Begreppet sex worker (sexarbetare) har etablerats av sexindustrin och senare fått fäste
inom vissa akademiska och aktivistiska kretsar, och är en term som rymmer normativa
implikationer. Termen kan ge intrycket av att prostitution är ett arbete jämställt med
andra yrken, trots att svensk lag och policy – genom sexköpslagen och den abolitionistiska
hållningen – tydligt markerar att prostitution inte ska betraktas som legitimt arbete utan
som en form av exploatering och våld.
My supervisor supports me but I have to prepare a very well formulated response. You have
definitely more knowledge about how the Swedish context work, do you have any ideas how to
best address it?
Best
Anna
_______________________________________________
Fosme mailing list -- fosme(a)lists.sunet.se <mailto:fosme@lists.sunet.se>
To unsubscribe send an email to fosme-leave(a)lists.sunet.se
<mailto:fosme-leave@lists.sunet.se>
4:14 p.m.
Dear Anna,
I am very sorry that you have to experience this.
Before sharing some points that you might raise in your response (which, by
the way, you are not obliged to provide, nor is the university), I can put
Child X in context by sharing that Swedish Amnesty recently changed their
'decriminalisation' position thanks to the person who is employed by Child
X, who submitted a motion at their general meeting after becoming a member
shortly before the annual gathering, together with other persons associated
with Child X. Other information is probably not suitable for an email
format, those that I acquired while working at RFSL Stockholm.
Sex 'work' is not used in terms of legality but in terms of informal labor
being performed by persons. This is an academic context where labor and
other regulations are not needed in exploring the phenomenon, similar to
exploring household labor (in Swedish, *hushållsarbete*), which is not
recognized as an occupation and where exploitation might happen as well.
Playing dumb by stating that this is outside of the context of Child X's
work and expertise, which is focused on trafficking for commercial sexual
exploitation of children. You are sorry that they misunderstood that this
is something relevant to their area, as it covers subjects beyond their
competence, such as an academic approach to 'sex work' concept, as well as
what other organizations focus on, the adults who sell sex who are not
children and not trafficked. An example is RFSL, which uses ‘sex work’ in
their *principprogram*, or internationally, the World Health Organization,
Transgender Europe, and ILGA. You are ‘decentering debate’ by focusing on
these queer perspectives as they are, and you approach it as an academic.
You empathize with their struggle and focus on exploitation and violence
within the context where the selling of sexual services is involved, just
as you empathize with those who focus on sexual exploitation and violence
within 'homes' (domestic violence), which, according to national
statistics, is the place where the highest number of sexual exploitation
cases occur.
Playing low, you can say that this exact perspective of theirs is what you
are trying to achieve with this conference—developing and decentering the
debate, partly also outside of the ‘sex work’ context and closer to sexual
exploitation. If it turns out that you have not received applications
focusing on this area, you can always clarify later, if and when they see
the program, that there were simply no submissions of that type. Also, this
is an international conference that focuses on different state contexts,
not just Sweden and the abolitionist perspective.
Mvh,
Ines
On Thu, Feb 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM Anna Ratecka via Fosme <fosme(a)lists.sunet.se>
wrote:
Dears,
the rektor of Södertorn University has received a letter form Childx
organization complaining about the title of the conference I am organizing
in May. They attack the use of sex work as contributing to harms of women
selling sex.
This is a citation form the letter:
*Begreppet sex worker (sexarbetare) har etablerats av sexindustrin och
senare fått fäste inom vissa akademiska och aktivistiska kretsar, och är en
term som rymmer normativa implikationer. Termen kan ge intrycket av att
prostitution är ett arbete jämställt med andra yrken, trots att svensk lag
och policy – genom sexköpslagen och den abolitionistiska hållningen –
tydligt markerar att prostitution inte ska betraktas som legitimt arbete
utan som en form av exploatering och våld. *
My supervisor supports me but I have to prepare a very well formulated
response. You have definitely more knowledge about how the Swedish context
work, do you have any ideas how to best address it?
Best
Anna
_______________________________________________
Fosme mailing list -- fosme(a)lists.sunet.se
To unsubscribe send an email to fosme-leave(a)lists.sunet.se
--
*Ines Anttila*
*MSc Sociology | Researcher*
🔗 LinkedIn <#SignatureSanitizer_> • 📖 Thesis (Lund University 2023)
<#SignatureSanitizer_>
10:28 p.m.
Thank you Petra and Ines for the great advice!! Anna this happens to everyone who tries to
organize something around sex work in Sweden. It is quite unbelievable, we have seen many
events cancelled or locations changed because of this. Let us know if there are any other
ways we can support you!
Niina
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
________________________________
From: Ines Anttila <inesanohni(a)gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2025 3:14:33 PM
To: Anna Ratecka <anna.ratecka(a)sh.se>
Cc: Charlotta Holmström via Fosme <fosme(a)lists.sunet.se>
Subject: [Fosme] Re: please help!
Dear Anna,
I am very sorry that you have to experience this.
Before sharing some points that you might raise in your response (which, by the way, you
are not obliged to provide, nor is the university), I can put Child X in context by
sharing that Swedish Amnesty recently changed their 'decriminalisation' position
thanks to the person who is employed by Child X, who submitted a motion at their general
meeting after becoming a member shortly before the annual gathering, together with other
persons associated with Child X. Other information is probably not suitable for an email
format, those that I acquired while working at RFSL Stockholm.
Sex 'work' is not used in terms of legality but in terms of informal labor being
performed by persons. This is an academic context where labor and other regulations are
not needed in exploring the phenomenon, similar to exploring household labor (in Swedish,
hushållsarbete), which is not recognized as an occupation and where exploitation might
happen as well.
Playing dumb by stating that this is outside of the context of Child X's work and
expertise, which is focused on trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation of children.
You are sorry that they misunderstood that this is something relevant to their area, as it
covers subjects beyond their competence, such as an academic approach to 'sex
work' concept, as well as what other organizations focus on, the adults who sell sex
who are not children and not trafficked. An example is RFSL, which uses ‘sex work’ in
their principprogram, or internationally, the World Health Organization, Transgender
Europe, and ILGA. You are ‘decentering debate’ by focusing on these queer perspectives as
they are, and you approach it as an academic. You empathize with their struggle and focus
on exploitation and violence within the context where the selling of sexual services is
involved, just as you empathize with those who focus on sexual exploitation and violence
within 'homes' (domestic violence), which, according to national statistics, is
the place where the highest number of sexual exploitation cases occur.
Playing low, you can say that this exact perspective of theirs is what you are trying to
achieve with this conference—developing and decentering the debate, partly also outside of
the ‘sex work’ context and closer to sexual exploitation. If it turns out that you have
not received applications focusing on this area, you can always clarify later, if and when
they see the program, that there were simply no submissions of that type. Also, this is an
international conference that focuses on different state contexts, not just Sweden and the
abolitionist perspective.
Mvh,
Ines
On Thu, Feb 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM Anna Ratecka via Fosme
<fosme@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme@lists.sunet.se>> wrote:
Dears,
the rektor of Södertorn University has received a letter form Childx organization
complaining about the title of the conference I am organizing in May. They attack the use
of sex work as contributing to harms of women selling sex.
This is a citation form the letter:
Begreppet sex worker (sexarbetare) har etablerats av sexindustrin och senare fått fäste
inom vissa akademiska och aktivistiska kretsar, och är en term som rymmer normativa
implikationer. Termen kan ge intrycket av att prostitution är ett arbete jämställt med
andra yrken, trots att svensk lag och policy – genom sexköpslagen och den abolitionistiska
hållningen – tydligt markerar att prostitution inte ska betraktas som legitimt arbete utan
som en form av exploatering och våld.
My supervisor supports me but I have to prepare a very well formulated response. You have
definitely more knowledge about how the Swedish context work, do you have any ideas how to
best address it?
Best
Anna
_______________________________________________
Fosme mailing list -- fosme@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme@lists.sunet.se>
To unsubscribe send an email to
fosme-leave@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme-leave@lists.sunet.se>
--
Ines Anttila
MSc Sociology | Researcher
🔗 LinkedIn • 📖 Thesis (Lund University 2023)
8:02 a.m.
Sorry to hear about this incident, Anna, but it is to be expected in
Sweden, unfortunately. I agree with what’s been said. I hope the university
administration takes a sound approach based on academic freedom. It is not
the purpose of academia or the conference to align with a specific Swedish
policy or that of one singular organization. Organizations who disapprove
of its thematic do not have to attend! It really sucks that any event
trying to further sex work related knowledge has to be sidetracked by
stupid complaints such as these. It takes so much effort to deal with, if
one chooses to engage…
On Thursday, February 27, 2025, Vuolajarvi,N <N.Vuolajarvi(a)lse.ac.uk> wrote:
Thank you Petra and Ines for the great advice!! Anna
this happens to
everyone who tries to organize something around sex work in Sweden. It is
quite unbelievable, we have seen many events cancelled or locations changed
because of this. Let us know if there are any other ways we can support you!
Niina
Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
------------------------------
*From:* Ines Anttila <inesanohni(a)gmail.com>
*Sent:* Thursday, February 27, 2025 3:14:33 PM
*To:* Anna Ratecka <anna.ratecka(a)sh.se>
*Cc:* Charlotta Holmström via Fosme <fosme(a)lists.sunet.se>
*Subject:* [Fosme] Re: please help!
Dear Anna,
I am very sorry that you have to experience this.
Before sharing some points that you might raise in your response (which,
by the way, you are not obliged to provide, nor is the university), I can
put Child X in context by sharing that Swedish Amnesty recently changed
their 'decriminalisation' position thanks to the person who is employed by
Child X, who submitted a motion at their general meeting after becoming a
member shortly before the annual gathering, together with other persons
associated with Child X. Other information is probably not suitable for an
email format, those that I acquired while working at RFSL Stockholm.
Sex 'work' is not used in terms of legality but in terms of informal labor
being performed by persons. This is an academic context where labor and
other regulations are not needed in exploring the phenomenon, similar to
exploring household labor (in Swedish, *hushållsarbete*), which is not
recognized as an occupation and where exploitation might happen as well.
Playing dumb by stating that this is outside of the context of Child X's
work and expertise, which is focused on trafficking for commercial sexual
exploitation of children. You are sorry that they misunderstood that this
is something relevant to their area, as it covers subjects beyond their
competence, such as an academic approach to 'sex work' concept, as well as
what other organizations focus on, the adults who sell sex who are not
children and not trafficked. An example is RFSL, which uses ‘sex work’ in
their *principprogram*, or internationally, the World Health
Organization, Transgender Europe, and ILGA. You are ‘decentering debate’ by
focusing on these queer perspectives as they are, and you approach it as an
academic. You empathize with their struggle and focus on exploitation and
violence within the context where the selling of sexual services is
involved, just as you empathize with those who focus on sexual exploitation
and violence within 'homes' (domestic violence), which, according to
national statistics, is the place where the highest number of sexual
exploitation cases occur.
Playing low, you can say that this exact perspective of theirs is what you
are trying to achieve with this conference—developing and decentering the
debate, partly also outside of the ‘sex work’ context and closer to sexual
exploitation. If it turns out that you have not received applications
focusing on this area, you can always clarify later, if and when they see
the program, that there were simply no submissions of that type. Also, this
is an international conference that focuses on different state contexts,
not just Sweden and the abolitionist perspective.
Mvh,
Ines
On Thu, Feb 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM Anna Ratecka via Fosme <
fosme(a)lists.sunet.se> wrote:
Dears,
the rektor of Södertorn University has received a letter form Childx
organization complaining about the title of the conference I am organizing
in May. They attack the use of sex work as contributing to harms of women
selling sex.
This is a citation form the letter:
*Begreppet sex worker (sexarbetare) har etablerats av sexindustrin och
senare fått fäste inom vissa akademiska och aktivistiska kretsar, och är en
term som rymmer normativa implikationer. Termen kan ge intrycket av att
prostitution är ett arbete jämställt med andra yrken, trots att svensk lag
och policy – genom sexköpslagen och den abolitionistiska hållningen –
tydligt markerar att prostitution inte ska betraktas som legitimt arbete
utan som en form av exploatering och våld. *
My supervisor supports me but I have to prepare a very well formulated
response. You have definitely more knowledge about how the Swedish context
work, do you have any ideas how to best address it?
Best
Anna
_______________________________________________
Fosme mailing list -- fosme(a)lists.sunet.se
To unsubscribe send an email to fosme-leave(a)lists.sunet.se
--
*Ines Anttila*
*MSc Sociology | Researcher*
🔗 LinkedIn <#m_-4798062656977500001_x_SignatureSanitizer_> • 📖 Thesis
(Lund University 2023) <#m_-4798062656977500001_x_SignatureSanitizer_>
--
Isabelle
8:05 a.m.
P.s. Maybe our recent wording paper comparing the effect of “sex work” and
“prostitution” in public attitudes could be useful to cite if you decide to
engage with their reasoning on terminology. Here’s a link:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2022.2130859
On Friday, February 28, 2025, Isabelle Johansson <mlisabellejo(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
Sorry to hear about this incident, Anna, but it is to
be expected in
Sweden, unfortunately. I agree with what’s been said. I hope the university
administration takes a sound approach based on academic freedom. It is not
the purpose of academia or the conference to align with a specific Swedish
policy or that of one singular organization. Organizations who disapprove
of its thematic do not have to attend! It really sucks that any event
trying to further sex work related knowledge has to be sidetracked by
stupid complaints such as these. It takes so much effort to deal with, if
one chooses to engage…
On Thursday, February 27, 2025, Vuolajarvi,N <N.Vuolajarvi(a)lse.ac.uk>
wrote:
--
Isabelle
Thank you Petra and Ines for the great advice!!
Anna this happens to
everyone who tries to organize something around sex work in Sweden. It is
quite unbelievable, we have seen many events cancelled or locations changed
because of this. Let us know if there are any other ways we can support you!
Niina
Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
------------------------------
*From:* Ines Anttila <inesanohni(a)gmail.com>
*Sent:* Thursday, February 27, 2025 3:14:33 PM
*To:* Anna Ratecka <anna.ratecka(a)sh.se>
*Cc:* Charlotta Holmström via Fosme <fosme(a)lists.sunet.se>
*Subject:* [Fosme] Re: please help!
Dear Anna,
I am very sorry that you have to experience this.
Before sharing some points that you might raise in your response (which,
by the way, you are not obliged to provide, nor is the university), I can
put Child X in context by sharing that Swedish Amnesty recently changed
their 'decriminalisation' position thanks to the person who is employed by
Child X, who submitted a motion at their general meeting after becoming a
member shortly before the annual gathering, together with other persons
associated with Child X. Other information is probably not suitable for an
email format, those that I acquired while working at RFSL Stockholm.
Sex 'work' is not used in terms of legality but in terms of informal
labor being performed by persons. This is an academic context where labor
and other regulations are not needed in exploring the phenomenon, similar
to exploring household labor (in Swedish, *hushållsarbete*), which is
not recognized as an occupation and where exploitation might happen as well.
Playing dumb by stating that this is outside of the context of Child X's
work and expertise, which is focused on trafficking for commercial sexual
exploitation of children. You are sorry that they misunderstood that this
is something relevant to their area, as it covers subjects beyond their
competence, such as an academic approach to 'sex work' concept, as well as
what other organizations focus on, the adults who sell sex who are not
children and not trafficked. An example is RFSL, which uses ‘sex work’ in
their *principprogram*, or internationally, the World Health
Organization, Transgender Europe, and ILGA. You are ‘decentering debate’ by
focusing on these queer perspectives as they are, and you approach it as an
academic. You empathize with their struggle and focus on exploitation and
violence within the context where the selling of sexual services is
involved, just as you empathize with those who focus on sexual exploitation
and violence within 'homes' (domestic violence), which, according to
national statistics, is the place where the highest number of sexual
exploitation cases occur.
Playing low, you can say that this exact perspective of theirs is what
you are trying to achieve with this conference—developing and decentering
the debate, partly also outside of the ‘sex work’ context and closer to
sexual exploitation. If it turns out that you have not received
applications focusing on this area, you can always clarify later, if and
when they see the program, that there were simply no submissions of that
type. Also, this is an international conference that focuses on different
state contexts, not just Sweden and the abolitionist perspective.
Mvh,
Ines
On Thu, Feb 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM Anna Ratecka via Fosme <
fosme(a)lists.sunet.se> wrote:
Dears,
the rektor of Södertorn University has received a letter form Childx
organization complaining about the title of the conference I am organizing
in May. They attack the use of sex work as contributing to harms of women
selling sex.
This is a citation form the letter:
*Begreppet sex worker (sexarbetare) har etablerats av sexindustrin och
senare fått fäste inom vissa akademiska och aktivistiska kretsar, och är en
term som rymmer normativa implikationer. Termen kan ge intrycket av att
prostitution är ett arbete jämställt med andra yrken, trots att svensk lag
och policy – genom sexköpslagen och den abolitionistiska hållningen –
tydligt markerar att prostitution inte ska betraktas som legitimt arbete
utan som en form av exploatering och våld. *
My supervisor supports me but I have to prepare a very well formulated
response. You have definitely more knowledge about how the Swedish context
work, do you have any ideas how to best address it?
Best
Anna
_______________________________________________
Fosme mailing list -- fosme(a)lists.sunet.se
To unsubscribe send an email to fosme-leave(a)lists.sunet.se
--
*Ines Anttila*
*MSc Sociology | Researcher*
🔗 LinkedIn
<#m_8424319937592083487_m_-4798062656977500001_x_SignatureSanitizer_> •
📖 Thesis (Lund University 2023)
<#m_8424319937592083487_m_-4798062656977500001_x_SignatureSanitizer_>
--
Isabelle
9:48 a.m.
Dear Anna,
This is yet another example of organisations like ChildX attempting to restrict academic
freedom and control the discourse. Annelie and I had a rather absurd meeting with them a
couple of years ago, during which they tried to pressure us into changing the course
literature for a course we were directing, in favour of a neoabolitionist perspective.
These tactics are quite disturbing. I think Isabelle makes an important point - academia
and the conference are not required to align with Swedish policy or ChildX’s agenda. While
maintaining a friendly approach might be tactically wise, I think it’s important that the
message is clear.
/Anna
Från: Isabelle Johansson <mlisabellejo(a)gmail.com>
Datum: fredag, 28 februari 2025 08:06
Till: Vuolajarvi,N <N.Vuolajarvi(a)lse.ac.uk>
Kopia: Ines Anttila <inesanohni(a)gmail.com>, Anna Ratecka <anna.ratecka(a)sh.se>,
Charlotta Holmström via Fosme <fosme(a)lists.sunet.se>
Ämne: [Fosme] Re: please help!
Some people who received this message don't often get email from
mlisabellejo(a)gmail.com. Learn why this is
important<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>
P.s. Maybe our recent wording paper comparing the effect of “sex work” and “prostitution”
in public attitudes could be useful to cite if you decide to engage with their reasoning
on terminology. Here’s a link:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2022.2130859
On Friday, February 28, 2025, Isabelle Johansson
<mlisabellejo@gmail.com<mailto:mlisabellejo@gmail.com>> wrote:
Sorry to hear about this incident, Anna, but it is to be expected in Sweden,
unfortunately. I agree with what’s been said. I hope the university administration takes a
sound approach based on academic freedom. It is not the purpose of academia or the
conference to align with a specific Swedish policy or that of one singular organization.
Organizations who disapprove of its thematic do not have to attend! It really sucks that
any event trying to further sex work related knowledge has to be sidetracked by stupid
complaints such as these. It takes so much effort to deal with, if one chooses to
engage…
On Thursday, February 27, 2025, Vuolajarvi,N
<N.Vuolajarvi@lse.ac.uk<mailto:N.Vuolajarvi@lse.ac.uk>> wrote:
Thank you Petra and Ines for the great advice!! Anna this happens to everyone who tries to
organize something around sex work in Sweden. It is quite unbelievable, we have seen many
events cancelled or locations changed because of this. Let us know if there are any other
ways we can support you!
Niina
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
________________________________
From: Ines Anttila <inesanohni@gmail.com<mailto:inesanohni@gmail.com>>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2025 3:14:33 PM
To: Anna Ratecka <anna.ratecka@sh.se<mailto:anna.ratecka@sh.se>>
Cc: Charlotta Holmström via Fosme
<fosme@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme@lists.sunet.se>>
Subject: [Fosme] Re: please help!
Dear Anna,
I am very sorry that you have to experience this.
Before sharing some points that you might raise in your response (which, by the way, you
are not obliged to provide, nor is the university), I can put Child X in context by
sharing that Swedish Amnesty recently changed their 'decriminalisation' position
thanks to the person who is employed by Child X, who submitted a motion at their general
meeting after becoming a member shortly before the annual gathering, together with other
persons associated with Child X. Other information is probably not suitable for an email
format, those that I acquired while working at RFSL Stockholm.
Sex 'work' is not used in terms of legality but in terms of informal labor being
performed by persons. This is an academic context where labor and other regulations are
not needed in exploring the phenomenon, similar to exploring household labor (in Swedish,
hushållsarbete), which is not recognized as an occupation and where exploitation might
happen as well.
Playing dumb by stating that this is outside of the context of Child X's work and
expertise, which is focused on trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation of children.
You are sorry that they misunderstood that this is something relevant to their area, as it
covers subjects beyond their competence, such as an academic approach to 'sex
work' concept, as well as what other organizations focus on, the adults who sell sex
who are not children and not trafficked. An example is RFSL, which uses ‘sex work’ in
their principprogram, or internationally, the World Health Organization, Transgender
Europe, and ILGA. You are ‘decentering debate’ by focusing on these queer perspectives as
they are, and you approach it as an academic. You empathize with their struggle and focus
on exploitation and violence within the context where the selling of sexual services is
involved, just as you empathize with those who focus on sexual exploitation and violence
within 'homes' (domestic violence), which, according to national statistics, is
the place where the highest number of sexual exploitation cases occur.
Playing low, you can say that this exact perspective of theirs is what you are trying to
achieve with this conference—developing and decentering the debate, partly also outside of
the ‘sex work’ context and closer to sexual exploitation. If it turns out that you have
not received applications focusing on this area, you can always clarify later, if and when
they see the program, that there were simply no submissions of that type. Also, this is an
international conference that focuses on different state contexts, not just Sweden and the
abolitionist perspective.
Mvh,
Ines
On Thu, Feb 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM Anna Ratecka via Fosme
<fosme@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme@lists.sunet.se>> wrote:
Dears,
the rektor of Södertorn University has received a letter form Childx organization
complaining about the title of the conference I am organizing in May. They attack the use
of sex work as contributing to harms of women selling sex.
This is a citation form the letter:
Begreppet sex worker (sexarbetare) har etablerats av sexindustrin och senare fått fäste
inom vissa akademiska och aktivistiska kretsar, och är en term som rymmer normativa
implikationer. Termen kan ge intrycket av att prostitution är ett arbete jämställt med
andra yrken, trots att svensk lag och policy – genom sexköpslagen och den abolitionistiska
hållningen – tydligt markerar att prostitution inte ska betraktas som legitimt arbete utan
som en form av exploatering och våld.
My supervisor supports me but I have to prepare a very well formulated response. You have
definitely more knowledge about how the Swedish context work, do you have any ideas how to
best address it?
Best
Anna
_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe send an email to
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--
Ines Anttila
MSc Sociology | Researcher
🔗 LinkedIn • 📖 Thesis (Lund University 2023)
--
Isabelle
--
Isabelle
1:39 p.m.
Dears
thank you very much for all the support, providing context and hints how to handle this
situation! It is great to have you and not have to cope with it by myself!
I will draft a response and I am meeting the head of the department next week to address
it.
I will keep you updated.
Best
Anna
________________________________
From: Isabelle Johansson <mlisabellejo(a)gmail.com>
Sent: 28 February 2025 08:02
To: Vuolajarvi,N <N.Vuolajarvi(a)lse.ac.uk>
Cc: Ines Anttila <inesanohni(a)gmail.com>; Anna Ratecka <anna.ratecka(a)sh.se>;
Charlotta Holmström via Fosme <fosme(a)lists.sunet.se>
Subject: [Fosme] Re: please help!
You don't often get email from mlisabellejo(a)gmail.com. Learn why this is
important<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>
Sorry to hear about this incident, Anna, but it is to be expected in Sweden,
unfortunately. I agree with what’s been said. I hope the university administration takes a
sound approach based on academic freedom. It is not the purpose of academia or the
conference to align with a specific Swedish policy or that of one singular organization.
Organizations who disapprove of its thematic do not have to attend! It really sucks that
any event trying to further sex work related knowledge has to be sidetracked by stupid
complaints such as these. It takes so much effort to deal with, if one chooses to
engage…
On Thursday, February 27, 2025, Vuolajarvi,N
<N.Vuolajarvi@lse.ac.uk<mailto:N.Vuolajarvi@lse.ac.uk>> wrote:
Thank you Petra and Ines for the great advice!! Anna this happens to everyone who tries to
organize something around sex work in Sweden. It is quite unbelievable, we have seen many
events cancelled or locations changed because of this. Let us know if there are any other
ways we can support you!
Niina
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
________________________________
From: Ines Anttila <inesanohni@gmail.com<mailto:inesanohni@gmail.com>>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2025 3:14:33 PM
To: Anna Ratecka <anna.ratecka@sh.se<mailto:anna.ratecka@sh.se>>
Cc: Charlotta Holmström via Fosme
<fosme@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme@lists.sunet.se>>
Subject: [Fosme] Re: please help!
Dear Anna,
I am very sorry that you have to experience this.
Before sharing some points that you might raise in your response (which, by the way, you
are not obliged to provide, nor is the university), I can put Child X in context by
sharing that Swedish Amnesty recently changed their 'decriminalisation' position
thanks to the person who is employed by Child X, who submitted a motion at their general
meeting after becoming a member shortly before the annual gathering, together with other
persons associated with Child X. Other information is probably not suitable for an email
format, those that I acquired while working at RFSL Stockholm.
Sex 'work' is not used in terms of legality but in terms of informal labor being
performed by persons. This is an academic context where labor and other regulations are
not needed in exploring the phenomenon, similar to exploring household labor (in Swedish,
hushållsarbete), which is not recognized as an occupation and where exploitation might
happen as well.
Playing dumb by stating that this is outside of the context of Child X's work and
expertise, which is focused on trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation of children.
You are sorry that they misunderstood that this is something relevant to their area, as it
covers subjects beyond their competence, such as an academic approach to 'sex
work' concept, as well as what other organizations focus on, the adults who sell sex
who are not children and not trafficked. An example is RFSL, which uses ‘sex work’ in
their principprogram, or internationally, the World Health Organization, Transgender
Europe, and ILGA. You are ‘decentering debate’ by focusing on these queer perspectives as
they are, and you approach it as an academic. You empathize with their struggle and focus
on exploitation and violence within the context where the selling of sexual services is
involved, just as you empathize with those who focus on sexual exploitation and violence
within 'homes' (domestic violence), which, according to national statistics, is
the place where the highest number of sexual exploitation cases occur.
Playing low, you can say that this exact perspective of theirs is what you are trying to
achieve with this conference—developing and decentering the debate, partly also outside of
the ‘sex work’ context and closer to sexual exploitation. If it turns out that you have
not received applications focusing on this area, you can always clarify later, if and when
they see the program, that there were simply no submissions of that type. Also, this is an
international conference that focuses on different state contexts, not just Sweden and the
abolitionist perspective.
Mvh,
Ines
On Thu, Feb 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM Anna Ratecka via Fosme
<fosme@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme@lists.sunet.se>> wrote:
Dears,
the rektor of Södertorn University has received a letter form Childx organization
complaining about the title of the conference I am organizing in May. They attack the use
of sex work as contributing to harms of women selling sex.
This is a citation form the letter:
Begreppet sex worker (sexarbetare) har etablerats av sexindustrin och senare fått fäste
inom vissa akademiska och aktivistiska kretsar, och är en term som rymmer normativa
implikationer. Termen kan ge intrycket av att prostitution är ett arbete jämställt med
andra yrken, trots att svensk lag och policy – genom sexköpslagen och den abolitionistiska
hållningen – tydligt markerar att prostitution inte ska betraktas som legitimt arbete utan
som en form av exploatering och våld.
My supervisor supports me but I have to prepare a very well formulated response. You have
definitely more knowledge about how the Swedish context work, do you have any ideas how to
best address it?
Best
Anna
_______________________________________________
Fosme mailing list -- fosme@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme@lists.sunet.se>
To unsubscribe send an email to
fosme-leave@lists.sunet.se<mailto:fosme-leave@lists.sunet.se>
--
Ines Anttila
MSc Sociology | Researcher
🔗 LinkedIn • 📖 Thesis (Lund University 2023)
--
Isabelle
14
days inactive
15
days old
7 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
Anna Hall -
Anna Ratecka -
Ines Anttila -
Isabelle Johansson -
Petra Östergren -
Vuolajarvi,N