Police in southern Sweden have adopted a controversial new tactic to combat underage prostitution. Officers now pose as potential sex buyers online to identify minors at risk of exploitation. They monitor regular websites and sugar dating platforms where young people under 18 might be vulnerable.
Christian Abrahamsson, a police chief leading the child sexual crimes investigation unit in southern Sweden, developed this approach. He explained the urgent need for intervention. "Meeting a motivated perpetrator of sexual crimes carries very high risks of physical and psychological harm," Abrahamsson said in a statement.
The method underwent legal review before implementation. Lawyers concluded the benefits outweigh the risks despite ethical concerns. Abrahamsson acknowledged the difficult balance between protection and privacy. "The goal is to find and help children, but it's certainly an ethical dilemma that police work undercover," he noted. "We contact children without identifying ourselves as police, presenting instead as potential sex buyers.
This approach differs significantly from grooming cases where predators initiate contact. Here, police respond to young people who themselves post advertisements online. Many come from already vulnerable backgrounds. "These are children who might consider performing sexual acts for compensation," Abrahamsson explained.
When police arrange meetings with identified minors, a different procedure follows. One of five designated local police officers intervenes alongside social services. They offer immediate support and resources rather than making arrests.
The encounters prove emotionally charged for young people involved. "Children and youth react strongly," Abrahamsson observed. "There's shame and guilt about being discovered, but we must take adult responsibility. The consequence of not intervening would result in a much worse situation later."
Sweden's progressive approach to combating prostitution focuses on targeting buyers rather than sellers. This new tactic represents an extension of that philosophy into digital spaces where exploitation increasingly occurs. The method shows how law enforcement adapts to changing patterns of criminal behavior while grappling with complex ethical questions about undercover operations involving minors.
Police emphasize their primary goal remains child protection rather than prosecution. The program aims to connect vulnerable young people with social services before exploitation occurs. This preventive approach reflects Sweden's broader social welfare priorities, though it raises important questions about police methods and privacy rights in digital environments.
International observers will watch this Swedish initiative closely as governments worldwide struggle to protect children in online spaces. The tension between preventive intervention and individual rights presents ongoing challenges for law enforcement agencies across democratic societies.