High prices are attracting prostitutes from all over Europe to Oslo.

The average price for a “number” in Oslo is NOK 500 (USD 100), compared

Prostitutes from Europe have streamed to Oslo, where they can make more money.

PHOTO: KNUT SNARE

to NOK 160 in Germany, which is considered an attractive land for pimps and prostitutes from the EU.

According to newspaper Aftenposten‘s sources, Norwegian customers are willing to pay far more for sex than those in other European cities.

Norway’s welfare system and its buying power have given it the reputation as Europe’s most attractive prostitution market.

Women from Bulgaria have become the largest-growing group of prostitutes in Oslo, reports Aftenposten, mostly from “Romani” (or “Gypsy”) families.

The Bulgarian invasion began after Norwegians discovered Bulgaria as a place to go on vacation, starting from about 2003, says Aftenposten.

But although the prices are high in Oslo, they have been pressed down in recent years because of the flow of foreign women into the market.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian government has put forth a plan to make purchase of sexual services illegal in Norway, as well as in other countries.

The proposal has not yet been made into law, but it has a majority support in the parliament.

“People are not commodities,” said Justice Minister Knut Storberget, “and criminalizing the purchase of sexual services will make it less attractive for people-traders to look towards Norway.”

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Story published last year on sex trade:

Nigerians want sex trade stopped

Norway’s current debate about criminalizing the purchase of sex has received strong support from Nigerians living in the country.

Norwegian-Nigerians are tired of being viewed as prostitutes and demand a ban on the buying of sexual services.

Norwegian-Nigerian Uzomaka Okoroafor is upset about the way African women living in Norway are viewed is being influenced by the recent influx of prostitutes from African nations.

“You notice their looks. They give signals that can only be interpreted one way,” the nurse told newspaper Dagsavisen.

Along with Labor Party politician Elvis Chi Nwosu, who is also the leader for African Cultural Awareness, Okoroafor argues fervently for criminalizing the purchase of sex.

Elvis Chi Nwosu argues that it is time to criminalize the purchase of sexual services.

PHOTO: EINAR SOLVOLL

“We in the African community know that the basic reason that women come here to work as prostitutes is the endless poverty in their homeland. But by allowing them to earn “easy” money this way we do not allow them to find other possibilities,” Nwosu told the newspaper.

The Socialist Left Party approved a proposal to forbid the purchase of sexual services at their national congress over the weekend. This brings them in line with the other majority alliance junior partner, the Center Party.

The dominant member of the government coalition, the Labor Party, has their congress during Easter and can make the proposal a majority backed policy.

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Publisher: Chief editor Korir, africanpress@getmail.no source.aftenposteneng