18-Year-Old Forced into Prostitution in Sweden

An 18-year-old woman was persuaded to travel to Sweden for work. Once there, she was forced into prostitution, monitored via cameras in her room, and fed leftovers.

– I wasn't allowed to speak with my family, she stated during questioning.

Now, two men have been sentenced.

In May this year, police were called to a hotel in Gothenburg. At the reception, they encountered a distressed woman who spoke neither Swedish nor English but managed to communicate through Google Translate that she had been assaulted.

It soon became clear that the woman was 18 years old and had arrived from Romania with a 38-year-old male acquaintance a few weeks earlier. According to her, the man had promised well-paid jobs in Sweden, but instead, she was forced into prostitution.

“I Didn't Know What to Do”

– I didn't know what to do. I had no one here to help me. I didn't know anyone here, had no relatives, nothing. And I accepted, the woman explained during police questioning.

She said her male acquaintance threatened her and was “very aggressive.”

– I don't like this. I will never do it again. I only did it because I had to, she said.

Profits from Prostitution

The investigation revealed that the 38-year-old, along with a 30-year-old friend living in Sweden, posted a sex ad with scantily clad photos of the 18-year-old. For three weeks, she was forced to meet unknown men in hotel rooms in Gothenburg.

In text messages to his friend, the 38-year-old wrote that he would “keep her all night to make money” and “otherwise, I'll beat her until she faints.”

The 18-year-old never saw any of the money; it was taken by the 38-year-old and his friend.

– I wasn't allowed to do anything without him. He was the one who contacted the clients. He came to the place where I was with the clients and monitored me all the time, the woman told the police.

– He is the worst thing that can happen to someone.

Sentenced to Prison and Damages

The woman also stated that she did not have access to her passport and was not allowed to call her family. When she tried to leave one day, she was assaulted by her male acquaintance.

Now, the 38-year-old, despite denying the charges, has been sentenced to one year and nine months in prison for human trafficking. He is also sentenced to deportation for ten years. His 30-year-old friend has been sentenced to one year and six months in prison for human trafficking. He also denies the charges, but according to the district court, he was involved.

The men are also ordered to pay 300,000 SEK in damages to the young woman.