Anti-prostitution NGO calls for greater enforcement of sex purchase laws

Laws banning the sale of sex in Ireland should be better enforced, an anti-prostitution NGO has said.

Sarah Benson, CEO of Ruhama, said Irish gangs continue to “profit from the sexual exploitation of women and girls, particularly in off-street locations”.

She added: “Since March of this year we have important new laws in place in Ireland to protect those harmed in prostitution, as part of the Sexual Offences Act 2017.

“It is now illegal to purchase sex in this country and the penalties for organising and profiting from prostitution have been increased.

“More needs to be done to ensure that these laws are properly enforced, in order to achieve their objective to minimise the inherent harm of a wholly exploitative trade.”

Ruhama strongly supports the new law, despite concerns raised by lawyers, sex workers’ groups and Amnesty International, who said it would subject sex workers to a greater risk of violence.

The new law also provides for tougher sentences for brothel-keeping, which critics say will punish sex workers who work together for safety.

Ms Benson said: “It is incumbent on Gardaí to ensure that they do not target vulnerable people in prostitution for criminal sanction. The vast majority of those in prostitution are women, and there are also a small number of transwomen and men.

“All may be victims of many different crimes, including human trafficking. Garda focus should be targeted towards the buyers and those who are genuinely profiting from the prostitution of others.”

Ruhama called on the Government to fully resource An Garda Síochána’s National and Regional Protective Services Bureaus and mount a public campaign “to ensure that know that this is now a country where no human being can be considered for sale”.