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THE UNPRECEDENTED CROSS-BORDER operation against brothels operating across the country has been welcomed be the Immigrant Council of Ireland.
However, the group which offers support to victims of sex trafficking and prostitution warned that complete law reform is still needed to protect the women involved.
Denise Charlton, chief executive officer of the Immigrant Council, said that the Garda and PSNI operations in the past 24 hours should help women who have been trapped in a “life of threats, violence and abuse”.
“The efforts of the Gardaí and the PSNI in helping women who have been trafficked into Ireland by criminal gangs to be trapped into a life in brothels are very welcome and organisations such as ourselves stand ready to help any victims rescued during this operation.”
She added that the organisation awaits full details of the operation and the number of prosecutions to follow. Over 100 properties were searched in the Republic yesterday and three people were arrested. Documents, cash, computers and mobile phones were also seized by the more than 200 gardaí involved. In Northern Ireland, five people were arrested after 20 addresses were raided. Three suspected victims of human trafficking were also located by the PSNI.
Charlton said the size of the operation – which covered almost every county – shows how those behind “this sleazy trade have used a legal loophole” to reach every corner of the country.
The Immigrant Council is a member of the Turn Off the Red Light Campaign which has called on the Government make it illegal to pay for sex. According to the coalition of more than 50 organisations, it is “this discrepancy in Irish law which has allowed the brothels to flourish”.
An opposition group, entitled Turn off the Blue Light, claim that criminalising sex would just drive the industry deeper underground, endangering those who choose to earn money as independent sex workers.
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Stamp out any trafficking if it exists, then stop moralising grown women and men who choose to earn a living this way.
Why can’t the cops just on to an escort website make appointments and raid the apartments? They could take all the money that’s there and make life very hard for this crime to exist. Everyone knows that this is how most of the prostitution exists in Ireland nowadays.
@ I Love Lamp – You appear to know the issue, eh, well. Very well. Been on these sites often?
I was told about it and I couldn’t believe it would be that easy to find a prostitute so I had a look. That would be the height of my interest in them as I’ve no need for them. I would find it very hard to believe you have never heard of these sites.
if those sites were illegal they would be taken down, I believe that’s the loophole their speaking of, prostitution is not illegal in Ireland, brothels and street walking are.. (so one of the lads told me :P)
These vulnerable women have been trafficked into this life
Have you met any of these poor trafficked women? I worked beside a brothel before the gardai closed it down. All the women who came in to dine we’re confident and outgoing and possibly flirtatious. I guess the latter comes with the job Description.
I think it is time we made it illegal to buy sex, like Turn Off the Red Light Campaign and Ruhama want.
Ruhama was founded in 1989 as a joint initiative of the Good Shepherd Sisters and Our Lady of Charity Sisters, two of the four religious orders that ran Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries.
Perhaps rather than listening to a religious group like that, we should listen to sex workers themselves, and take their views into consideration – like the” Turn Off the Blue Light” campaign – http://www.turnoffthebluelight.ie
Given the size of yesterdays operation it seems very little was found. A handful of arrests and women freed ? Not really a smoking gun is it ? Apparently the authorities are lacking in intelligence on this and the gangs are well able to keep a step or two ahead.
Actually the Turn Off The Red Light campaign is run by many groups whose role tends to get overlooked. It includes reputable organisation engaged in child welfare such as Barnados; organisations providing protection & support to women such as Bray Women’s Refuge, Inchicore Women’s support Group, National Women’s Council of Ireland, Rathmines Women’s Refuge, Sligo Rape Crisis Centre; groups who provide support to victims of rape such as Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Rape Crisis Network Ireland and Sligo Rape Crisis Centre; groups representing migrant rights such as the Immigrant Council of Ireland. Indeed a full list is available from http://www.turnofftheredlight.ie/about/whos-involved/
The campaign to Turn Off The Red Light (TORL) can be supported by following it on twitter @TurnOffRL or by taking diret action http://www.turnofftheredlight.ie/action/.
(At least in the UK, Barnardos have been joint owners of secure institutions with the Good Shepherd sisters, who are, currently, joint owners of Ruhama, and in the past used to own a shedload of Magdalen Laundries, including the last to close in Wexford in 1996.)
But, mustn’t grumble, because I, in turn, would love to see a crackdown on moral redundant and morally bankrupt aspects of the the over priced, overpaid, largely self appointed and self serving NGO sector that would represent an equal, if not greater, threat to the livelihoods of many members of Turn Off the Red Light.
Additionally if you want evidence of the relationship between human trafficking and prostitution some recent cases are shown here http://www.palermoprotocol.com/index.php?Itemid=585&option=com_fjrelated&view=fjrelated&layout=blog
Facebook users can share and comment on cases from the around the world and indeed from Ireland from this link http://www.facebook.com/PalermoProtocol
David, that is promoting your own site and your unsubstantiated opinions, not evidence.
Have you ever even met a sex worker? Because I know there is a small group who are interested in meeting with you at some point and trying to dispel some of the mythology you have in your head.
What about the sleazy men who use their services??
Suzanne Sheriden…how do you know they are sleazy? Have you ever met a client?
So you see nothing wrong with a man paying for sex from a woman who is likely to be forced into doing so or simply paying for it. Not only disgusting but pathetic
Firstly, to my certain knowledge the majority of women are no, in any way coerced into selling sex, so that doesn’t apply.
Secondly, when selling sex was the only way I had to survive at all, I certainly did not feel it was remotely “sleazy” when my clients paid me a decent livelihood for my work….
No, if anything, the organisations who would cheerfully even deny someone like me their only option on survival for the sake of a sense of superiority, control, and/or the continuance of a generous NGO salary…they are “sleazy” to me.
Paying for sex isn’t sleazy?
Not in and of itself, no. Depends on who is involved and how they choose to carry themselves.
have your say