‘Limerick prostitutes portrayed in negative light’ – Doras
DORAS Luimní is calling for responsible, informative and objective reporting of the controversial and sensitive issue of prostitution locally, regionally and nationally, following an article in a local paper entitled ‘Prostitutes still stalk city streets despite garda sting’.
The article, claims Doras, depicts prostitutes in Limerick in a negative light, aggressively plying their trade to the detriment of local businesses and men socialising in local nightclubs.
Said a spokesperson: “While we are aware that the visible presence of prostitution in any given area is certainly problematic and distressing for local business and residents, we are concerned that the narrow public perspective is based on a limited understanding of the nature of the sex industry in Ireland and here in Limerick.
“It is imperative to note how young some of the women involved are, and the very significant levels of control being exerted over them by handlers or ‘pimps’ who supervise their actions and deal with the financial aspect of the transaction.
“Although the women working on the street are the most obvious face of the industry, there is a very strong element of organised crime in the background.
“As the recent Prime Time investigation ‘Profiting from Prostitution’ demonstrated, the Irish sex industry is dominated by pimps who make significant profits while women who provide sexual services work long hours for little pay and are highly monitored and controlled.
“It is important to recognise the exploitation of women in the sex industry otherwise we may re-victimise vulnerable individuals who are often living in very precarious situations”.
Karen McHugh, Doras Luimní CEO, pointed out that the anti-social problems identified in the article in the local paper would best be addressed by the introduction of legislation making the buying of sex illegal.
She commented: “Our perspective is that demand is the crux of the problem. The sex industry would not be thriving in Limerick were it not for the fact that substantial numbers of men are seeking to pay for sexual services. The nature of this industry is that as long as there is demand there will be supply”.
Notably, she added, it is the stated policy of An Gardaí Siochána “to treat women involved as witnesses/victims unless significant evidence comes to light suggesting direct involvement in organisation or brothel keeping.
“Doras Luimní considers this an appropriate response based on a deeper understanding of the nature of the sex industry and sympathetic to the situation of those exploits in it”.
Ms McHugh added: “The cycle of exploitation is made possible by the existence of push factors including inequality, poverty and exploitation, which are recognised factors for the vast majority of sex workers.
“Very few people who have other options chose to work in a scenario where they daily face a risk of violence and rape.
“There have been cases in Limerick recently of prostitutes being targeted for robbery.
“Making a living through selling sex one pays a high price in terms of physiological and psychological health”.
