Strengthened cooperation against Trafficking Iceland a bad choice for pimps and traffickers?

1. Strengthened cooperation against TraffickingIceland a bad choice for pimps and traffickers? Gudrun Jonsdottir Stigamot on behalf of The Icelandic national team Against trafficking in Women Vilnius 5.10.07

2. Thanks to EWL and all of you • Important support from the network • Access to updated information from the field at all times • It helps us to keep trafficking on the agenda in Iceland, not only at national level, but also within institutions and organizations, by the national network • The network functions as a reminder to the authorities and all of us of best practises; • Changing Laws • Improving Services • Financing the services • Plans of actions • Reflections period • Identification of victims • Outreach work • The Geysir group, within the network has written its own ideal plan of action that will be presented to heads of institutions and ministers in October. We within the “Geysir group” have personally met from 3-20 possible VOT • In Iceland there is no PofA, no victims officially identified, no money, no specialized services, no reflection period, no working rules for professionals. • We have enormous work to do, but being part of such a family makes it easier.

3. There is no clear difference between pornography, prostitution and trafficking!

4. Pressrelease from Freeoones.com PR Adult News @ 5:43 pm. Zeist, NL (PRADULT) January 27, 2007 — Freeoones.com announced today the date for the second SnowGathering. It will be held in Reykjavik - Iceland, from the 7th till the 11th of March 2007. SnowGathering is a chance to conduct business, meet new people and discuss business developments after having had an adventurous day in the winter sun. According to Maurice, owner of Freeones.com and organizer of the SnowGathering: “After the huge success of the SnowGathering edition in Austria last year, we are doing it again but bigger and better! This year we are aiming for approximately 150 attendees. A quantity large enough to make business opportunities interesting but not too large to loose the intimate feel of last year. We have chosen for Reykjavik because of the possibilities of multiple in- and outdoor activities and its infamous nightlife.”

5. Stigamots reaction • An open letter to the government, to all parliamentarians, all members of the City Council, to the head of police in Iceland and in Reykjavik and of course to media. • Reykjavík the capital city of Iceland had become their favourite because of “the infamous nightlife” • We asked our authorities to look into the websites that our future guests where representing. • We reminded our authorities of the press release and interview with an organiser on radio, that they where going to produce, sell and distribute pornography, which is forbidden in Iceland • If this international gathering would find place in Iceland the business of buying and selling women for sexual exploitation would reach new dimensions in our country. • We reminded also that we have before denied unwanted guests as Hells Angels to enter our country. • At last we asked them to join forces and use their power to stop this from happening.

6. Reactions from the authorities • The Mayor of Reykjavik –unwanted guests • The City Council – everyone agreed • Discussed at a Governmental meeting • Then all party groups of parliament made statements against the business meeting • Other women’s org. sent our resolutions • Protest was sent to the hotel, some of you took part in that • Bishop of Iceland protested • Misguiding media, making it look like an innocent tourist event, and therefore Stigamot looked ridiculous. Many journalists and co-workers of Stigamot meant that we had gone too far, this was too much. • Response from the Farmers Association in Island – the owner of the hotel - cancelling the booking • And then this:

7. Driebergen - The Netherlands; 22 February 2007 FreeOnes.com is very sad to announce that the SnowGathering 2007 has been cancelled! The organization sees no other option due to major recent developments like the Radisson Sas Saga Hotel revoking today (22 February 2007) its decision to receive the group at the hotel. Unfortunately the hotel has not been able to cope with the intense media and political pressure and decided to buckle down to the pressure of some groups who share the opinion that choosing your profession is out of the question unless they support this profession. ……….. Legal assistance has been sought in this matter since FreeOnes.com believes the cancellation and the consequent financial losses (both material and time wise) have been carried out without any legitimate or legal grounds. …..The SnowGathering has been discussed even by the highest authorities in the country and even today the Police Department and the Department of Immigration are trying to look for ways to refuse entrance……

8. Consiousness raising • Icelanders can fight the whole porn industry, • I promise you that within the end of the project period, The Geyser-group will do everything that we possibly can, to have in place an ideal support to every possible women victim of trafficking in Iceland.