The overall trend is that the total number of women selling sex has declined. Compared to 2008 numbers it has been halved, about the same result as observed following the Swedish ban on sex purchase. One cannot be one hundred per cent certain that this observed decline is trustworthy, as the sex market has become less transparent and harder to monitor. Women on the street market seem to be hiding more to cater to their clients need to avoid the police. The Pro Center has also observed that the women working on the indoor market seem to be using more creative ways to hide their business. Together this makes it hard to accurately measure how the new law has affected the sex workers and the sex market.
According to Pro Center information the sex workers seem to have become more insecure and anxious on the street, are reluctant to seek help of relief organizations as often and the trust in the police has declined.
The experience of the Pro Center is that the largest country of origin off migrant sex workers in Norway is Nigeria, followed by Thailand, Bulgaria and Romania. Despite the fact that about half the Nigerian women seem to have left Norway after the new law was passed, this group is still the largest. The total number of sex workers from Romania and Bulgaria in Norway is also decreasing. Those that have remained work a lot, and seem to be under strict regulations from the pimp. This is the case for both the indoor market and the street market.
Few of the Bulgarian women have participated in work training sessions offered by the Pro Center, despite the fact that these women are EU citizens and have the right to work in Norway. The Pro Centers understanding is that this environment is closed off, and strictly organized. It seems that the women is either hesitant or are not allowed to have contact with the relief organizations. Many of women from Bulgaria are of Roma origin.
Link to the report (in norwegian)
Link to the Pro Center