DORAS Luimní, a Limerick based support group for migrants in Ireland, has told a Dail hearing discussing the future of Irish prostitution legislation, that it recommends the criminalisation of exploiters in the illegal Irish sex trade. In their address to the the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality last week, Doras, as one of the 63 organisations making up the “Turn off the red light campaign” has called for the legislation to change and for legislation to penalise those who buy human beings as commodities.
Anti-Trafficking Officer, Patricia Stapleton explained Doras Luimní’s dedication to the goals of the Turn Off the Red Light campaign: “Through our work we see at first-hand the devastating effects of trafficking and prostitution on individuals and families. We are also very concerned with the wider impact on the community and on social attitudes to women, especially female migrants. Because of the grave human rights implications, we cannot, as a society, afford to turn a blind eye to this form of exploitation or sweep it under the carpet. Exploitation, trafficking and human rights abuses endemic in the sex industry in Ireland should not be allowed to continue. We do not want exploiters to be given legal protections. What we want to see is the decriminalisation of those who are prostituted and exploited. And we want to hit the trade in human bodies where it hurts by criminalising those who purchase another human being as a commodity.”
Ms Stapleton made the submissions with other speakers, Michael Quinlan and Daniel McCartney of the Gay Men’s Health Service, consultant genito-urinary physician Dr Derek Freedman, and Linda Latham, Co-ordinator of the HSE Women’s Health Project.
Ms Karen McHugh, Doras Luimní CEO said: “The campaign has generated huge support throughout the country for proposals to criminalise the purchase of sex. Locally, both the Limerick County Council and Limerick City Council have passed motions in favour of the Turn Off the Light campaign. Over the course of three years of intensive campaigning we believe that huge strides have been made in terms of raising awareness of the issues involved, bringing the human rights perspective to the fore, and gradually changing the public perceptions. At this point we feel that positive legislative change is possible but it cannot be taken for granted. Without the necessary political support our goals will not be achieved.
“Ordinary Limerick people may not realise it but we can all play a part in shaping the laws of this country. By contacting your political representatives you make a crucial difference to the outcome of this consultation process. It is a fantastic thing to have the ability to do that and I strongly encourage every person to have their say. A very easy way to do this is by visiting the TORL website and contacting your TD’s through the action page on www.turnofftheredlight.ie/action. We are saying, please don’t put it off till tomorrow or you could miss the chance to change things for the better in Limerick by helping to bring about laws to combat exploitation and trafficking in the local sex industry.”
Meantime, the arrests of two men and a woman as part of an investigation into human trafficking has been welcomed by Immigrant Council of Ireland and CEO, Denise Charlton, said: “The efforts of Operation Quest to identify potential victims of human trafficking into brothels in Ireland by criminal gangs are welcomed.
Ms Charlton adds that “Law enforcement efforts are important, however if we seriously want to shut down the brothels and protect women then law reform is the only answer”.
The three were detained at Clondalkin Garda Station under Sect 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007 as amended. A number of items of evidence have been seized including mobile phones, electronic devices and documentation.
A third male who had been detained at Athlone Garda station, was released without charge.
Operation Quest was launched with the aim of identifying potential victims of human trafficking. The investigation team are liaising with Europol, Interpol, The Police Service of Northern Ireland, The Human Trafficking Centre Central Investigations Bureau, Warsaw, Poland and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, United Kingdom with a view to identifying further potential victims.
