Slutkund

Slutkund is a Swedish term used to refer to a person who purchases sexual services from a sex worker. The word is a compound of slut (a pejorative meaning “prostitute” or “sex worker”) and kund (customer). In Swedish public discourse, slutkund is common in discussions about prostitution and sex work, policy proposals, and media reporting. The term is often considered loaded or stigmatizing because it explicitly labels the buyer and carries moral judgments, though some use it descriptively to distinguish buyers from sellers in research and policy.

In legal and policy contexts, slutkund denotes the buyer of sexual services. Under the Nordic model widely associated with Sweden, the purchase of sexual services is criminalized while selling sex is legal; the term is frequently used when discussing enforcement, penalties, and debates about reducing demand. Globally, responses to prostitution vary, with some jurisdictions criminalizing buyers, others decriminalizing or regulating sex work. The term’s usage is not uniform, and in some settings neutral alternatives such as “kund av sexuella tjänster” or “köpare av sexuella tjänster” are preferred to reduce stigma.

Critics argue that labeling someone as a slutkund can perpetuate stigma against sex workers and hinder reporting of abuse or trafficking. Proponents may use the term to emphasize accountability for demand and to frame policy discussions about consent, exploitation, and public health. Researchers warn that language shapes perceptions of agency, safety, and workers’ rights, and advocate careful, non-stigmatizing terminology in both academic and public discourse.