Increase efforts to prosecute and convict traffickers under the trafficking statute, rather than crimes with lesser penalties, as appropriate, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms. * Ensure all victims have full, unconditional access to assistance, regardless of whether they cooperate with authorities. * Proactively identify trafficking victims and screen for trafficking indicators, particularly among children. * Stay deportation of potential victims prior to identification and assistance. * Expand access and availability to shelters for all male trafficking victims and establish specialized housing for trafficking victims. * Ensure victims are not inappropriately penalized solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked and train police and prosecutors on the principle of non-punishment and applying it. * Allow formal victim identification without requiring cooperation with law enforcement and by entities other than law enforcement officials, including by civil society, social workers, and health care professionals. * Train investigators and prosecutors on evidence collection and applying anti-trafficking laws and officials involved in judicial proceedings, particularly judges, on understanding all aspects of trafficking. * Develop procedures for labor inspections, clearly outlining roles and responsibilities for participating agencies. * Strengthen international law enforcement cooperation to prevent and investigate extraterritorial commercial child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The government increased law enforcement efforts. Chapter 4, Section 1a of the Penal Code criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking and prescribed penalties of two to 10 years’ imprisonment, which were sufficiently stringent and, with regard to sex trafficking, commensurate with those prescribed for other grave crimes, such as rape. Chapter 4, Section 1b criminalized a lesser crime of “human exploitation,” which included the exploitation of individuals for labor or begging, and prescribed penalties of up to four years’ imprisonment; these penalties were also sufficiently stringent. Chapter 6, Section 9 criminalized the purchase of commercial sex acts from a child and prescribed penalties of up to four years’ imprisonment. In 2023, police investigated 344 trafficking and human exploitation cases (92 sex trafficking, 195 labor trafficking, and 57 other or unspecified forms of trafficking), a more than a twofold increase from 169 investigations in 2022. Authorities prosecuted 37 alleged traffickers (one sex trafficking, 33 labor trafficking, and three other or unspecified forms of trafficking), a fourfold increase from nine in 2022. Courts convicted four traffickers, compared with two in 2022. Sentences for convicted traffickers did not include imprisonment. Courts issued fines for all four convicted traffickers and suspended sentences for three. Suspended sentences weakened deterrence, did not adequately reflect the nature of the crime, and undercut broader anti-trafficking efforts. Experts continued to raised concerns about the low number of prosecutions and convictions. The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees complicit in human trafficking crimes. Swedish authorities regularly participated in international collaboration meetings and cooperated on trafficking investigations with foreign governments and agencies, such as EUROPOL and INTERPOL. In 2023, Swedish authorities collaborated with foreign governments on eight international investigations, including an ongoing Joint Investigation Team with Finland on a labor trafficking case involving Thai berry pickers. Under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers, officials from all five Nordic countries maintained an anti-trafficking working group comprising stakeholders from across the region engaging on trends, best practices, challenges, and activities in their respective countries. As part of the working group and to facilitate international policing efforts, authorities developed a police network composed of Nordic police officers cooperating on cross-border investigations, exchanging information, and conducting trainings on investigating trafficking cases.

The national police commissioner led the Police Authority, which was responsible for investigating trafficking cases, and acted as the national trafficking rapporteur, investigating, monitoring, and analyzing the scope of human trafficking in Sweden. In recent years, the Police Authority underwent a reorganization across the country and, in 2023, incorporated regional anti-trafficking units – with the exception of Stockholm, which maintained its anti-trafficking unit – into units focused on international serious organized crime, resulting in a considerable turnover of staff and fewer authorities working on trafficking cases at the national and regional levels. Civil society expressed concern the reorganization reduced the focus on trafficking and put the burden on local police, who had limited resources, to investigate trafficking cases. Civil society recommended re-establishing the dedicated anti-trafficking units. In addition, the SMA maintained a coordinator focused on anti-trafficking efforts, among other issues, such as combating workplace crime. The Prosecutor’s Office maintained specialized prosecutors who worked on trafficking cases, among other cases, such as organized or cross-border crime, as well as analysts and accountants who conducted financial investigations of trafficking cases. The Prosecutor’s Office appointed one prosecutor per region to work on trafficking cases and a prosecutor to coordinate trafficking-related training and cooperation among prosecutors nationwide. The initial classification of a crime determined whether a specialized prosecutor worked on a trafficking case; for example, regional prosecutors, who did not have anti-trafficking training, could be assigned cases classified as “human exploitation” that could have elements of trafficking. The Prosecutor’s Office reported the high burden of proof required for trafficking cases sometimes led to changing charges against traffickers, noting insufficient evidence collection led to authorities charging traffickers with “procurement for sexual purposes” instead of sex trafficking. In 2023, the Prosecution Development Centre developed guidelines on investigative techniques and understanding human trafficking and human exploitation statutes. The law allowed for video-recorded statements from police inquiries to be admissible in court, securing more reliable evidence. The Gender Equality Agency (GEA), which managed anti-trafficking efforts for the government, assigned 16 specialized regional coordinators, typically social workers, throughout the country to assist police and judicial authorities with trafficking cases, provide direct assistance to victims, conduct outreach work, and implement training. In 2023, various institutions conducted anti-trafficking trainings and workshops for police, prosecutors, judges, and victim support specialists, including on the application of anti-trafficking laws. The Police Authority continued to offer all employees interactive training on child trafficking and online training on identifying victims and investigating cases.

The government increased victim protection efforts. In 2023, the SMA identified 598 potential trafficking cases among asylum-seekers, an increase from 515 in 2022. The SMA’s statistics reflect the number of identified trafficking cases among asylum-seekers and not the number of individuals as some victims were subject to multiple forms of trafficking. The majority of cases identified by the SMA were labor trafficking with seasonal Thai berry pickers comprising a notable portion. Authorities identified 20 potential child trafficking cases, compared with 21 in 2022. The SMA used written procedures to identify and refer victims and, in 2023, published new guidelines with trafficking indicators for screening potential victims. Separately, GEA maintained statistics on identified victims. Double counting likely occurred across agencies. In 2023, GEA regional coordinators identified 404 potential victims (182 sex trafficking, 189 labor trafficking, 33 other or unspecified forms of trafficking), an increase from 367 in 2022. Of the 404 potential victims, 35 were children. Experts reported identifying child trafficking victims remained a challenge for authorities who struggled recognizing indicators and did not consistently classify cases involving children exploited in commercial sex as sex trafficking. Experts also reported police overall did not proactively identify potential victims among vulnerable groups and focused on the deportation of foreign victims rather than screening for trafficking indicators. The NRM regulated the identification of victims and their referral to assistance, included separate guidelines for adult and child trafficking victims, and outlined the roles and responsibilities of authorities. Only authorities involved in legal investigations, such as police, could officially identify trafficking victims. NGOs assessed the NRM did not have a strong enough focus on labor trafficking, particularly involving children. In addition, NGOs noted some police, particularly border guards, needed further training on identifying trafficking indicators and potential victims and on the subsequent implementation of victim services.

Municipalities, in collaboration with NGOs and other government agencies, were the primary providers of victim services, including medical and psychological care, shelter, and social assistance. While undocumented migrants, who made up the vast majority of identified victims, could obtain emergency medical care, additional assistance opportunities for victims and their families through municipalities were conditional on victims cooperating with authorities. Municipalities funded victim services, and the government subsequently reimbursed the expenses. The government did not report the amount of funding provided to municipalities. Although the country did not have shelters dedicated solely to trafficking victims, some municipalities ran women’s shelters offering services to victims of domestic and honor-related violence, including sex trafficking victims. Civil society reported inconsistent support available to male victims as not every municipality provided accommodation or basic needs. Several shelters accommodated male adult sex trafficking victims, but only two accepted male victims regardless of the type of trafficking. Authorities referred child victims to child protection services officials who placed them in foster care or group housing. Experts reported knowledge and resources among child protection services varied across municipalities and authorities lacked procedures for assisting and supporting unaccompanied children. Furthermore, some unaccompanied children, including potential child trafficking victims, in children’s homes or institutions disappeared. In 2021, the government commissioned a three-year assignment to the National Board of Health and Welfare, the SMA, and the Police Authority to build capacity of relevant staff, develop national guidelines, and establish long-term sustainable working methods that prevent the disappearance of unaccompanied children. The government permanently allocated 150 million Swedish krona (SEK) ($14.95 million) annually toward women’s and girl’s shelters and NGOs supporting victims of violence, including trafficking. In 2023, the government allocated an additional 50 million SEK ($4.98 million) for improvements to shelters, including hiring and training personnel and renovating facilities. Furthermore, in 2023, the government and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions allocated 1.6 billion SEK ($159.5 million) to municipalities to develop accessible mental health care and psychiatric trauma care for those in need, including trafficking victims. GEA led a network of approximately 40 NGO-run safe houses. In 2023, GEA allocated 3.2 million SEK ($319,010) to the national support program (NSP) – a civil society platform representing NGOs assisting trafficking victims – a significant increase from 2.5 million SEK ($249,230) in 2022, and the most funding allocated to the NSP since it was initiated in 2015. The NSP complemented the services provided through the NRM; offered assistance to victims who, in their current state, did not have a right to assistance through the formal system; and supported a 30-day reflection period for victims to decide if they would participate in criminal proceedings. The NSP also provided accommodation for trafficking victims and their families. NGOs continued to criticize that funding of the NSP was insufficient, only covering a fraction of the number of identified victims, and called for sustainable funding to ensure protection and support for all victims, underscoring that the NSP was the only possibility to support and protect victims without a residence permit. NGOs also criticized the limited amount of time (up to 120 days) for victims to receive government-funded services, including shelter, made it difficult to assist victims for the long term and recommended extending the reflection period to enable more trafficking victims access to assistance.

The Aliens Act entitled foreign victims without residence to a renewable six-month temporary residence permit based on participation in criminal proceedings or a 30-day reflection period to contemplate participation in criminal proceedings, during which they were eligible for assistance and emergency financial aid. Investigators, prosecutors, and municipal social welfare boards could apply for a 30-day reflection period on behalf of foreign victims. In 2023, the SMA granted 71 trafficking victims temporary residence permits (85 in 2022), which allowed foreign victims to seek employment. The government allowed victims who assisted in the investigation of a trafficker to remain in Sweden for the duration of the criminal proceedings; however, if an investigation ceased, the government deported victims without legal residence. Consequently, the threat of deportation prevented victims from reporting trafficking crimes. Child victims could receive support at Barnahus – a multidisciplinary center offering a coordinated, child-sensitive approach to preventing re-traumatization during criminal proceedings. The government assigned a legal representative to provide victims with support and assistance throughout criminal proceedings. However, legal aid was only available to individuals whose annual income did not exceed 260,000 SEK ($25,920) and did not already have insurance that covered the dispute in question. Swedish law entitled victims to receive restitution from traffickers as part of criminal proceedings, as well as file civil suits for financial compensation. In 2023, the amount of court-ordered restitution was unavailable; however, in 2022, courts ordered 3.9 million SEK ($388,790) in restitution. While the law allowed authorities to waive prosecution if a victim committed a crime as a direct result of being trafficked and the Prosecutor’s Office provided guidelines that minor crimes committed under these circumstances should not be prosecuted, there was no specific provision in the law on the non-punishment of trafficking victims. Experts and government representatives reported police arrested or detained some trafficking victims, particularly foreign nationals without legal residence identified through workplace inspections, forced into criminality, or in commercial sex, and recommended training on the principle of non-punishment.

The government increased prevention efforts. As the national trafficking coordinator, GEA led the national anti-trafficking task force and ensured implementation of the NAP. The task force comprised representatives from authorities on trafficking issues and functioned as a strategic resource developing and streamlining cooperation between government agencies and other stakeholders. The task force created relevant educational material, conducted training, and managed, in cooperation with an international organization, a voluntary return and reintegration program for the safe return of trafficking victims. In 2023, GEA allocated 4 million SEK ($398,760) to the program, compared with 4.3 million ($428,670) in 2022. In 2023, the task force convened a sub-group to examine the exploitation of berry pickers in Sweden. In addition, the government maintained a working group, with representatives from several ministries, to coordinate domestic and international anti-trafficking policy. The government continued to implement its NAP, which focused on combating and preventing commercial sex and trafficking and providing better protection and support for those vulnerable to trafficking. NGOs raised concerns about the lack of dedicated funding to implement the NAP and recommended the government update the NAP to establish strategic objectives with specific assignments, budgets, and deadlines and a greater focus on labor trafficking. In addition to the NAP, the government continued to implement its comprehensive action program to prevent and combat men’s violence against women, including trafficking, and dedicated 43 million SEK ($4.29 million) for implementation in 2023 and 2024. The government also included trafficking as part of several other policies and programs, such as its gender equality policy and programs to combat honor-based violence, among others, and allocated substantial funding toward implementing related initiatives. To complement domestic efforts, the government supported several international anti-trafficking initiatives, including continuing to participate in the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) anti-trafficking task force, working to strengthen and improve anti-trafficking policies in the region, consolidate expertise from the national level with the international level, and exchange information on efforts and best practices.

In 2023, the GEA conducted several awareness campaigns and educational programs on the risks of trafficking through information sessions and social media, including an online campaign on safe travel abroad and a seminar on preventing the sexual exploitation of children. While there was no dedicated hotline for trafficking victims, a Swedish university operated three national helplines that supported victims of violence, including sex trafficking, and received approximately 18.7 million SEK ($1.86 million) from the government in 2023. Separately, the GEA operated a national helpline for authorities, municipal workers, and NGOs to receive guidance on trafficking and exploitation. NGOs noted the need for a 24-hour national hotline dedicated to assisting and providing information to trafficking victims and those vulnerable, including foreign workers, on all forms of trafficking. In 2023, the National Police published an annual report on the extent of trafficking in Sweden, including recommendations on preventing and combating the crime. Additionally, in 2023, a government-appointed inquiry published a report based on interviews with survivors on improving the identification of and strengthening protection and assistance for sex trafficking victims. A separate government-appointed inquiry submitted a report to the Ministry of Justice, examining the legal framework regarding the sexual abuse and exploitation of children, including child sex trafficking, and strengthening the detection of such cases. The government continued to strengthen its work to combat the sexual exploitation of children, including child sex trafficking, and, in 2023, allocated 22 million SEK ($2.19 million) to the GEA to strengthen protection measures for child victims. Subsequently, the GEA organized a conference on combating child sex trafficking; published an educational guide on sexual exploitation for professionals working with children; and, along with the French minister of equality, participated in a study on the online exploitation of children. The government launched a new website with information on sex trafficking and maintained a website with information on child sex trafficking, resources available to victims, and a way to report suspected cases. The National Police’s Department of National Operations handled investigations involving Swedish citizens suspected of extraterritorial commercial child sexual exploitation and abuse and assisted police departments throughout Sweden on matters of child sex trafficking. The National Police’s specialized cybercrime unit maintained a child protection team that trained travel agencies to detect and report extraterritorial commercial child sexual exploitation and abuse. The government did not make efforts to reduce the demand for participation in extraterritorial sexual exploitation and abuse by its citizens, despite allegations of such actions by its citizens.

The Ambassador to Combat Trafficking in Persons focused on international cooperation with an emphasis on sex trafficking and reducing demand. In 2023, the government made efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts by continuing to implement its law criminalizing the purchase of sexual acts from a child (Chapter 6, Sections 9 and 11) and investigating cases of the procurement and purchase of commercial sex. In addition, the GEA maintained specialized treatment centers, offering counseling for buyers of commercial sex, which municipal social services managed in seven locations around the country. In collaboration with several county administrative boards, the GEA conducted a five-year study across all seven centers, assessing potential long-term effects of counseling to achieve behavioral change among men who exploited women in commercial sex and documenting methods and themes used in treatment, with an end date of 2025. The study showed a decrease in purchases of commercial sex and improved health among clients in one center. The Prison and Probation Service managed a cognitive-behavioral treatment program for sexual offenders in several prisons and probation facilities nationwide, consisting of therapy sessions conducted by psychologists and psychotherapists, to reduce the risk of recidivism. Furthermore, the government maintained the national helpline to prevent sexual violence, specifically for persons with self-perceived risk behavior, compulsive behavior, and sexual interest in children and allocated 8 million SEK ($797,530) in 2023.

Authorities and NGOs acknowledged labor trafficking was an increasing problem, especially for seasonal workers, such as berry pickers, and vulnerable migrants. Experts recommended increased awareness among the public and better interagency coordination to facilitate the identification of labor trafficking cases, as no one agency was responsible for the issue and the current structure among agencies was somewhat siloed. To combat work-related crimes, including labor trafficking, the government maintained a national task force that collaborated with unions and trade organizations, provided training on how to recognize victims, developed educational outreach, and conducted workplace inspections. In 2023, the government continued to implement a national strategy to combat labor trafficking and work-related crime. Through the strategy, the government established regional centers against work-related crime, including labor trafficking, that acted as hubs for government agencies to cooperate on joint workplace inspections and other activities. In 2023, the government opened five centers, for a total of seven nationwide. While experts welcomed the establishment of these centers, they noted labor inspections were convoluted and involved multiple different agencies, none of which were social services; the Labor Work Authority did not take the lead on inspections; and there was no clear labor trafficking mandate. Furthermore, civil society noted joint inspections had not led to any prosecutions or convictions on labor trafficking and most authorities focused on violations in the work environment, tax violations, and business bans. Experts, however, reported the presence of regional coordinators during joint workplace inspections facilitated the identification of trafficking victims and their access to assistance. In 2023, the GEA continued to collaborate with the CBSS on a five-year project educating foreign workers from Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine on the risks of labor trafficking. Within the framework of the project, the GEA commissioned multiple reports and studies on forced labor and labor exploitation and conducted an international workshop and conference on methods for combating labor trafficking. Authorities continued to conduct mandatory interviews with foreign workers employed in at-risk sectors who were seeking to extend their work permits. The SMA conducted background checks on companies employing foreign workers and occasionally denied work visas in cases where employment contracts did not meet the necessary requirements. The SMA ensured employers fulfilled worker agreements and did not pay recruitment fees. The SMA also provided training on trafficking and a manual to assist migration agents in detecting trafficking cases.

In response to the inflow of refugees fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the government maintained secure registration at Sweden’s borders to enable identification and protection for vulnerable refugees, especially children. The GEA produced information on preventing and detecting trafficking among adults and unaccompanied children. The information included links to a website the GEA built specifically for Ukrainians about trafficking. The GEA also operated a support hotline for professionals working with refugees who fled Ukraine. In addition, the GEA conducted regular coordinating meetings that allowed government agencies, regional coordinators, and civil society organizations to exchange information on trends, observations, and actions taken, which facilitated cooperation and expedited responses. The SMA reported nearly 61,000 Ukrainians had received residence permits in Sweden under the EU Mass Refugee Directive since the full-scale invasion in February 2022. In 2023, the Police Authority reported 78 trafficking cases involving Ukrainian citizens but did not confirm how many were refugees fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion. The GEA’s national coordination unit conducted a workshop with an international organization on preventing trafficking among Ukrainian refugees.

As reported over the past five years, human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Sweden, and, to a lesser extent, traffickers exploit victims from Sweden abroad. Vulnerable groups include children; individuals with intellectual disabilities, psychological conditions, and/or alcohol or drug addiction; and LGBTQI+ persons. Most victims originate from Africa, East Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Typically, traffickers exploit victims of their same nationality and are often part of criminal networks engaged in multiple criminal activities, although an increasing number of reported cases involve traffickers who are family members or have no ties to organized crime. Traffickers increasingly use the internet and social media to recruit victims through fake job advertisements and exploit victims in commercial sex. Most sex trafficking cases involve women and children from West Africa and Eastern Europe with a rise in cases involving women from South America. In recent years, there has been an increase in labor trafficking cases, and, in 2023, the number of labor trafficking cases exceeded the number of sex trafficking cases. Victims of labor trafficking, who largely originate from Eastern Europe, South and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Africa, face exploitation in the agriculture, cleaning, construction, manufacturing, and service industries. In some labor trafficking cases, employers or contractors providing labor seize the passports of foreign workers and withhold their pay. Other reported incidents include low salaries, lack of official employment contracts, and poor living situations in the construction sector. The SMA notes increased exploitation in the private delivery industry, such as messengers and food delivery drivers who work under conditions that violate Swedish labor laws. Seasonal berry pickers from Bulgaria and Thailand remain highly vulnerable to labor trafficking. In 2023, authorities and civil society representatives identified a large group of seasonal Thai berry pickers. Traffickers also exploit citizens of Thailand in nail salons and massage parlors. Cases of forced begging and forced criminality among Roma, primarily from Bulgaria and Romania, have decreased; however, individuals remain vulnerable. Asylum-seekers, particularly those from Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South America, as well as many stateless individuals, are at risk of trafficking. The SMA reported receiving 12,644 applications from asylum-seekers and 339 applications from unaccompanied children who are especially vulnerable to trafficking. In recent years, traffickers subjected Moroccan boys and young men to forced criminal activity, though reports indicate a decline in the number of victims. Media reports indicate a Swedish home goods store indirectly sourced materials from forced labor in Belarusian prison colonies. Authorities and NGOs report Swedes traveling abroad to the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia for the purpose of extraterritorial commercial child sexual exploitation and abuse is prevalent. Thousands of refugees fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine remain highly vulnerable to trafficking.