Swede Sentenced to Prison for Coercing Wife into Sex with Dozens of Men 0 10

A 61-year-old resident of Sweden has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison for coercing his wife into prostitution, including through the internet. The court found him guilty on several counts, including attempted rape, bodily harm, and threats. Additionally, he is required to pay the woman 200,000 Swedish kronor (over 18,000 euros) in compensation, reports Swedish broadcaster SVT.

The court established that the man pressured his wife by threatening her with violence and monitored her using surveillance cameras. The couple lived in a remote area in eastern Sweden.

Swedish law enforcement identified 120 men who allegedly paid the defendant for sex with his wife. The prosecution deemed the evidence sufficient to bring charges against 29 of them. Ultimately, 28 individuals were convicted. Two received actual prison sentences of several months, while the others received fines or suspended sentences.

"Ruthless Exploitation"

According to SVT, the convicted man completely denies the allegations. He claims he was merely helping his wife fulfill her long-held dream of becoming an elite prostitute.

However, the court concluded that it was the man who initiated the events and fully controlled the process. The court's ruling described his actions as "ruthless exploitation."

At the same time, not all episodes could be proven to be entirely non-consensual. According to the judge, the correspondence included in the case materials did not always allow for such a conclusion. Furthermore, it played an important role that the woman herself was unable to provide detailed accounts of what happened.

The reasons for the victim's lack of testimony were not disclosed. The court noted that it sought to ensure maximum transparency in the proceedings while simultaneously protecting the woman's identity.

Comparisons with the Pelico Case

According to the prosecution, the man began coercing his wife into sex for money in 2022. This continued until October of last year when the woman reported to the police.

In Sweden, purchasing sexual services, including via the internet, is a criminal offense. However, providing sexual services for compensation is not prohibited by law.

The case has sparked widespread public resonance and has often been compared to the high-profile trial in France involving Gisèle Pelico. Recall that the French woman was subjected to violence by her husband and dozens of other men for nine years while under the influence of drugs. In the Swedish case, the man also provided his wife with narcotics; however, unlike Pelico, the woman was aware of what was happening and was not unconscious.

The case has generated significant public interest not only in Sweden but also beyond its borders. Lawyers note that this trial has become one of the most high-profile cases in recent years related to sexual exploitation in the country, and its scale has once again raised questions about the protection of victims of violence and the accountability of clients involved in such crimes.