This page looks at prostitution using a gender lens, starting with Swedish police records. In 2023, police recorded 381 people involved in prostitution, allowing researchers to compare the proportions reported as women, men, and those recorded as trans persons or with unknown gender. The discussion then connects these patterns to how gendered victimization for sexual exploitation is reported in Europe and in UNODC global data.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, 50.6% of the 381 people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women and 36.7% were men (remaining: trans persons or unknown)
- In 2023, 36.7% of the 381 people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were men
- In 2023, 50.6% of the 381 people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women
- In European Union, women made up 70% of reported victims of trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation in 2022 (gender of victims)
- In Europe, men and boys were reported as victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation in 30% of cases (gender of victims)
- Women accounted for 83% of trafficking victims identified globally in the UNODC data cited by UNODC for 2022 (reported sex of victims)
In Sweden, women made up 50.6% of recorded prostitution involvement in 2023, while men were 36.7%.
Related reading
01 · Category
Gender Distribution Of Prostitution/offenders30 stats
01
In 2023, 50.6% of the 381 people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women and 36.7% were men (remaining: trans persons or unknown)https://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2023/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
02
In 2023, 36.7% of the 381 people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2023/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
03
In 2023, 50.6% of the 381 people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were womenhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2023/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
04
In 2023, the Swedish police recorded 381 people involved in prostitution (used to compute gender shares)https://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2023/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
05
In 2022, 52.5% of the people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women, 33.2% were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2022/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
06
In 2022, 33.2% of the people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2022/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
07
In 2022, 52.5% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were womenhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2022/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
08
In 2022, the Swedish police recorded 347 people involved in prostitutionhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2022/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
09
In 2021, 50.3% of the people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women, 36.0% were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2021/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
10
In 2021, 36.0% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2021/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
11
In 2021, 50.3% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were womenhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2021/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
12
In 2021, Swedish police recorded 331 people involved in prostitutionhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2021/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
13
In 2020, 49.5% of the people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women, 38.0% were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2020/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
14
In 2020, 38.0% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2020/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
15
In 2020, 49.5% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were womenhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2020/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
16
In 2020, Swedish police recorded 286 people involved in prostitutionhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2020/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
17
In 2019, 50.3% of the people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women, 39.3% were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2019/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
18
In 2019, 39.3% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2019/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
19
In 2019, 50.3% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were womenhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2019/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
20
In 2019, Swedish police recorded 304 people involved in prostitutionhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2019/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
21
In 2018, 51.4% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women and 37.4% were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2018/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
22
In 2018, 37.4% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2018/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
23
In 2018, 51.4% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were womenhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2018/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
24
In 2018, Swedish police recorded 316 people involved in prostitutionhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2018/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
25
In 2017, 52.3% of the people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women, 35.0% were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2017/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
26
In 2017, 35.0% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2017/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
27
In 2017, 52.3% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were womenhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2017/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
28
In 2017, Swedish police recorded 306 people involved in prostitutionhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2017/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
29
In 2016, 50.4% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women, 39.1% were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2016/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
30
In 2016, 39.1% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were menhttps://www.bra.se/bra-statistik/arkiv/bra-statistik/2016/vald-och-sexuella-kranksningar/sexuell-handel-och-prostitution.html
Interpretation
Gender Distribution Of Prostitution/offenders Interpretation
In Sweden’s recorded prostitution cases, women make up the largest share in both 2022 and 2023, rising from 52.5% to 50.6% while men remain a smaller minority at 33.2% to 36.7%, showing that the gender distribution of prostitution offenders is persistently female dominated.
More related reading
report visual · Key figures
Women’s share of people recorded as involved in prostitution (Sweden)
Across 2016–2022, women remained the dominant group among people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden, rising overall and peaking in 2022 as the highest recorded share in
50.4%
In 2016, 50.4% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women
52.3%
In 2017, 52.3% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women
51.4%
In 2018, 51.4% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women
50.3%
In 2019, 50.3% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women
49.5%
In 2020, 49.5% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women
50.3%
In 2021, 50.3% of people recorded as involved in prostitution in Sweden were women
source-verifiedbra.se2021
02 · Category
Gender Distribution Of Exploitation/victimization30 stats
01
In European Union, women made up 70% of reported victims of trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation in 2022 (gender of victims)https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/reading-room/trafficking-human-beings-latest-statistics_en
02
In Europe, men and boys were reported as victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation in 30% of cases (gender of victims)https://ec.europa.eu/anti-trafficking/reading-room/trafficking-human-beings-latest-statistics_en
03
Women accounted for 83% of trafficking victims identified globally in the UNODC data cited by UNODC for 2022 (reported sex of victims)https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/human-trafficking.html
04
Women accounted for 74% of trafficking victims identified globally in the UNODC data cited by UNODC for 2019 (reported sex of victims)https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/human-trafficking.html
05
In UNODC’s Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2022, women comprised 58% of trafficking victims detected and reported (all forms)https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/global-report-on-trafficking-in-persons.html
06
In UNODC’s Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2022, girls comprised 23% of detected trafficking victims (all forms)https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/global-report-on-trafficking-in-persons.html
07
In UNODC’s Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2022, men comprised 19% of detected trafficking victims (all forms)https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/global-report-on-trafficking-in-persons.html
08
In the ILO global estimates, women and girls comprised the majority of forced prostitution victims (86%)https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/statistics/estimates/lang--en/index.htm
09
In the ILO global estimates, men comprised 14% of forced prostitution victimshttps://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/statistics/estimates/lang--en/index.htm
10
In ILO estimates, women comprised 99% of victims in forced commercial sexual exploitation in the private sector (distribution by sex)https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_603451/lang--en/index.htm
11
In ILO estimates, men comprised 1% of victims in forced commercial sexual exploitation in the private sector (distribution by sex)https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_603451/lang--en/index.htm
12
In the European Commission’s 2017/2018 data analysis on trafficking victims, 83% of victims were female in sexual exploitation cases (reported)https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/4a2a0f1f-9d88-4f0b-9d4f-3f3b7c3e7b9a_en
13
In the European Commission’s analysis on trafficking victims, 17% of victims were male in sexual exploitation cases (reported)https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/4a2a0f1f-9d88-4f0b-9d4f-3f3b7c3e7b9a_en
14
In the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons report, among trafficking victims in the dataset cited, 88% were women and girls for sexual exploitationhttps://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/a-hrc-43-39-sexual-exploitation-violence
15
In that UN report dataset, men and boys were 12% of trafficking victims for sexual exploitationhttps://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/a-hrc-43-39-sexual-exploitation-violence
16
In the US FBI NIBRS UCR data (human trafficking), females were victims in 70% of sex trafficking cases in 2022https://ucr.fbi.gov/human-trafficking
17
In the US FBI NIBRS UCR data (human trafficking), males were victims in 30% of sex trafficking cases in 2022https://ucr.fbi.gov/human-trafficking
18
US DOJ Office for Victims of Crime guidance cites that adult female victims comprised most sex trafficking victims served (about 70%) in 2021https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh236/files/media/document/ovc-human-trafficking-symposium-report.pdf
19
US DOJ Office for Victims of Crime guidance indicates adult male victims comprised about 30% (in served sex trafficking victims)https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh236/files/media/document/ovc-human-trafficking-symposium-report.pdf
20
In the UK National Referral Mechanism statistical report 2022 (adult + child), 80% of potential trafficking victims for sexual exploitation were femalehttps://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/uk-nrm-statistics-2022-released
21
In the UK NRM statistical report 2022, 20% of potential trafficking victims for sexual exploitation were malehttps://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/uk-nrm-statistics-2022-released
22
In the UNODC “Child trafficking for sexual exploitation” cited in the Global Report 2020, girls were 56% of child trafficking victims detected for sexual exploitationhttps://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/toct/child-trafficking.html
23
In the same UNODC child trafficking for sexual exploitation data, boys were 44% (detected) of child trafficking victims for sexual exploitationhttps://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/toct/child-trafficking.html
24
In the ILO report “Global Estimates of Modern Slavery”, women and girls accounted for about 99% of forced labour in commercial sexual exploitation (as per summary table)https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/moder-slavery/WCMS_854733/lang--en/index.htm
25
In the ILO report “Global Estimates of Modern Slavery”, men accounted for about 1% of forced labour in commercial sexual exploitationhttps://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/moder-slavery/WCMS_854733/lang--en/index.htm
26
In the UN Global Trafficking in Persons data brief, women comprised 69% and men 31% of detected victims for sexual exploitation (reported)https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/GlOTiP_2022_portal.pdf
27
In the UN Global Trafficking in Persons data brief, men comprised 31% of detected victims for sexual exploitation (reported)https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/GlOTiP_2022_portal.pdf
28
In EUROPOL’s “Trafficking in Human Beings in the EU” 2023, females made up 80%+ of victims in trafficking for sexual exploitation in the reporting dataset (sex)https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-events/main-reports/trafficking-human-beings-european-union
29
In EUROPOL’s reporting dataset, males made up about 20% of victims in trafficking for sexual exploitation (sex)https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-events/main-reports/trafficking-human-beings-european-union
30
Women accounted for 72% of all sex trafficking victims reported in the US HHS/ACF Trafficking Victim Assistance data for 2022https://www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/resources/trafficking-victim-assistance-program-tvap
Interpretation
Gender Distribution Of Exploitation/victimization Interpretation
Across these “Gender Distribution Of Exploitation/victimization” figures, women are the clear majority of trafficking victims, ranging from 70 to 83 percent in reports by the European Union and UNODC, while girls still represent 23 percent of detected victims in UNODC’s 2022 data.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Prostitution Gender Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/prostitution-gender-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Prostitution Gender Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/prostitution-gender-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Prostitution Gender Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/prostitution-gender-statistics.
Sources & references
23 datasets cited across this report
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)