Starting January 1, 2009, Norwegian citizens caught paying for prostitutes at home or abroad could face a hefty fine or a six-month prison sentence, authorities say.
The prison sentence could be extended to three years in cases of child prostitution.
The Norwegian authorities say they want to eliminate sex tourism and street prostitution by targeting clients rather than sex workers.
“We think buying sex is unacceptable because it favours human trafficking and forced prostitution,” Deputy Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Because of this new and stricter …