We live in a world where slavery has taken on a new form. Even though the type of slavery we learn about in the history books has been abolished, slavery continues today through, among other things, the sex trade. This study is a qualitative informant study that aims to find out how Swedish non-profit organizations provide support and protection to women who have been subjected to human trafficking for sexual purposes, and what explanatory models exist for why human trafficking for sexual purposes takes place today. The study has also examined which areas for improvement can be identified in the work for support and protection of victims of human trafficking for sexual purposes. The study is based on semi-structured interviews from 4 different Swedish non-profit organizations that in various ways are active actors in the work with human trafficking for sexual purposes. The results shed light on the fact that there is a demand for sexual services that propel the industry of human trafficking for sexual purposes forward. This type of crime can also be explained as a type of gender-based violence that is rooted in a patriarchal and unequal society. Civil society has an important and crucial role to play in combating this type of crime and, not least, in providing support and protection to victims of trafficking. A human trafficking victim has both urgent and long-term needs that need to be met. The study describes civil society's support and protection efforts that human trafficking victims are offered and what conditions they have in Sweden to provide it.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka det skydd och stöd svenska myndigheter kan erbjuda offer för människohandel för sexuella ändamål (MSÄ). Detta har uppnåtts genom en textanalys av utvalda myndighetsdokument vilka behandlar skydd och stöd för personer utsatta för MSÄ. I fokus har även varit att analysera huruvida arbetet som beskrivs i texterna, samt intentionerna som framkommer, bär prägel av empowerment, det vill säga bidrar till en process där personerna blir stärkta och får ökad egenmakt i sina liv. Empowermentteorin har således utgjort ett analysverktyg i studien. Studiens resultat visar att texterna uttrycker intentioner om hjälp på lång sikt. Dessa intentioner anser vi bär prägel av empowerment. Intentioner framkommer även om att skydd och stöd bör vara villkorslöst och baserat på mänskliga rättigheter. Det stöd och skydd som beskrivs i texterna innefattar både akut och långsiktig hjälp. Dock har inte alla offer för MSÄ tillgång till samma skydd och stöd då detta villkoras beroende på vilken sorts uppehållstillstånd personen har. Medverkan i en rättsprocess är ett villkor för tidsbegränsat uppehållstillstånd i Sverige. Av denna anledning kan det diskuteras huruvida skydd och stöd ges främst för att möta MSÄ-offers behov eller i ett brottsbekämpande syfte. / The purpose of this study has been to investigate the support and protection the Swedish government can offer victims of human trafficking for sexual purposes (HTSP). This has been accomplished through a textual analysis of selected governmental documents, which describe support and protection for victims of HTSP. A focal point of this study has been to analyse whether the procedures described in the documents, and also the intentions therein, bears resemblance to the empowerment-theory. This includes whether it adds to a process where the persons are empowered and receives more control over their own lives. The result of the study shows that the texts express intentions of long-term support. We view these intentions as bearing resemblance to the empowerment-theory. Also, the texts show intentions of offering support and protection unconditionally and based upon human rights. The support and protection described in the texts envelop both emergent and long-term support. All victims of HTSP, though, do not have access to the same support and protection since this is based on what sort of visa the person holds. It is demanded to be part of a court-process to receive a short-term visa in Sweden. Because of this, it might be discussed whether support and protection is given first and foremost to meet the needs of victims of HTSP, or with the goal of fighting crime.

Prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes is by the government seen as a problem in the society that needs to be defeated. Since the year 1999, purchasing sexual services has been illegal in Sweden, and since the year 2002 there is also a law concerning human trafficking. Despite legislation and many other efforts, prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes is still widespread in Sweden. Through a case study, this paper investigates how work against prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes is governed and performed on a national level in Sweden, as well as on a regional and local level in Jönköping. This has been investigated through collection and analysis of documents created by organizations that influence the police and social services work in this area. Beyond this, three interviews with professionals in the police and social services have been conducted. The result has then been analysed on the basis of institutional theory which illustrates that an organization's quest for stability can stand in the way of achieving change. The results of the thesis show that there is a clear adherence with governing directives at the national level, but that the adherence is lacking at the regional and local levels. This can be explained on the basis that work against prostitution and human trafficking has not previously been a priority issue at the governing level, which has led to the work being neglected at regional and local level. / Prostitution och människohandel för sexuella ändamål ses av regeringen som ett samhällsproblem som måste bekämpas. Sedan år 1999 har köp av sexuella tjänster varit olagliga i Sverige och sedan år 2002 finns även en människohandelslagstiftning. Trots lagstiftning och flertalet övriga insatser finns idag prostitution och människohandel för sexuella ändamål utbredd i Sverige. Genom en fallstudie undersöks hur arbete mot prostitution och människohandel för sexuella ändamål styrs och utförs nationellt i Sverige samt regionalt och lokalt i Jönköping. Detta har undersökts genom insamling och analys av dokument skapade av organisationer som påverkar polisen och socialtjänstens arbete rörande området i Jönköpings kommun. Utöver detta har även tre intervjuer med yrkesverksamma inom polis och socialtjänst genomförts. Resultatet har sedan analyserats utifrån institutionell teori vilken belyser att en organisations strävan efter stabilitet kan stå i vägen för att uppnå en förändring. Uppsatsens resultat visar att det finns en tydlig efterföljsamhet av styrande direktiv på nationell nivå men att efterföljsamheten brister på regional och lokal nivå. Detta kan förklaras utifrån att arbete mot prostitution och människohandel tidigare inte varit en prioriterad fråga på styrande nivå vilket lett till att arbetet på regional och lokal nivå blivit eftersatt.