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A NUMBER OF groups have expressed their disappointment with a new bill which criminalises the purchase of sexual services and increases penalties for aspects of the work.
Part four of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 has jumped its final hurdle and will be sent to President Michael D Higgins in the coming weeks to become law.
Four human rights groups said they were disappointed that their concerns were not taken into account and said the amendments to the current law make sex workers more vulnerable.
However, the groups welcomed the last-minute inclusion of a three-year review and limited decriminalisation of street sex workers, following extensive lobbying by the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) and others.
Niall Mulligan, executive director of HIV Ireland said his organisation advised strongly against this course of action, which goes against the expert opinion of the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS.
Criminalisation of the purchase of sex drives sex work further underground, forcing workers to take more risks and work less safely. This in turn risks increasing the rate of HIV transmission.
Edel McGinley of the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland (MRCI) said the new laws will not protect the most vulnerable – migrants, asylum seekers, refugees doing survival sex work. She said: “It promotes harmful stigmatisation and obstructs access to justice. We know from our decade of work on human trafficking and forced labour that this approach will not help victims of trafficking.”
The Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and Amnesty International Ireland echoed the views of McGinley and Mulligan.
However, Ruhama strongly welcomed the legislation. The group, which supports prostituted women, said it has long advocated for legislation to focus on the demand of sex buyers as a key measure to curb expansion of the exploitative sex trade in Ireland.
The organisation has also advocated for many years for the repealing of the offence for soliciting for prostitution to give the clear social message that no person should be criminalised for their own exploitation.
Ruhama CEO Sarah Benson said: “We commend the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald for taking landmark measures to address the demand of sex buyers as the group directly responsible for perpetuating the commercial sex trade.
“Without demand there would be no supply. We witness every day the ugly consequences of prostitution and sex trafficking, where the most vulnerable women and girls from across the globe are targeted to be used in Ireland’s brothels. At the same time, in removing the offence for soliciting, the spirit of this law is clear: those in prostitution should not be criminalised.”
Kate McGrew, coordinator of SWAI, said the group is appalled that this Government is going against international expert opinion to bring in a law which jeopardises our safety, removes our bodily autonomy, and puts us at further risk of poverty.
She added: “When we say that criminalisation increases harm and risk in the industry, we’re talking about people like Galina Sandeva, a Bulgarian worker in Norway where the purchase of sexual services is criminalised. When she went missing her friends did not contact the police until they had found her body themselves. Criminalisation clearly further damages trust in the police.””
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This is the best form of praise I’ve seen for this deal yet.
Where`s the UK`s “Special relationship” with the US now?
@Pixie McMullen: Trump is a guy that seems to get his world news and analysis from Fox News. He’s best buddies with Nigel Farage.. because Nigel likes him.
Trump also views the EU as a trade competitor. So anything that weakens the EU in his opinion is good for the US. A bit like what his other buddy Vladimir Putin thinks about the EU too
He will do anything to help the EU fail.
@Dot Com: Speaking on behalf of his Russian masters
@michael: Yup
In fairness, the UK voted out, and the US is not a part, of the EU. UK-US relations are their problem now, and not our concern.
What a shame he doesnt understand its this deal or no deal. And if its no deal, the british economy and overall welfare will suffer dearly. If the british people reject the deal and go for the no deal so they can attempt to do all what the hard line brexiteers wished itll take less than a year before the remnants of their “empire” crumples to just england and wales, at which point their economy will have likely suffered massively . However, undoubtedly the work of people with their heads screwed on will reduce said damage somewhat, hopefully. And, despite not being qualified to say, id imagine thats a best case realistic scenario.
@Cheesy&Boring: don’t be so naive, no deal Brexit suits the US perfectly.
Don’t mind him his a Putin proxy
Looks like Putin is worried the brexit he orchestrated won’t be what he hoped it would be, he’s using his lackey to scaremonger.
@David Linehan: If you have a choice between conspiracy and cockup, go cockup. The Little Englanders are well capable of organising this disaster without input from abroad. Hell, BJ has been banging this drum since Putin was just out of the KGB…
@George Salter: I don’t think he’s taking about put in being the originator of the idea.
@David Linehan: Talk about tinfoil hat conspiracies Jesus, just read what you just posted. Don’t let a blind hatred for a person turn you into a nutjob.
Trump “I have just one question…Where is Europe again?”
Well duh…
So he read the 500 + report already
Yep. Thanks for that Donald
Ignoramus
@Johnny O Keeffe: ignoranus… Both stupid and an a’hole at the same time.
Now if we can just get the Irish government to do the same and criticise the deal and say it’s bad for N.I. and everyone in the UK then Arlene might just vote for it.
@Fr. Fintan Stack: if we say the deal means a united Ireland will never happen she’ll love the deal!
Trump doing what he’s told by Putin again, anything to try make the UK weaker so it benefits Putin.
I see all the Trump haters are out on day passes, however he’s correct. If the UK is still tied into EU regulations then that will have a serious impact on any trade deal with the US and other nations.
Trump a man who says it like it is.
No licking with the Donald.
Trump is correct about everything. It’s laughable to say his policies will bring no growth . Obama said the days of growth were over . Trump proved him wrong .
And western economies grow while being cleaner than those who refuse to sign up . Intentionally crippling yourself so an inferior competitor can gain ground on you is self destructive insanity
It will be alright. It’s like plasterparis, whatever the damage the money people will mold around this. And without understanding we will cheer as we always do
Trump should mind his own business the only thing Trump knows about is his golf course in Ireland and leave it that way
@Donal Carey: This from Trump a man who denies scientific research that says global warming is real?
His climate change opinions are delusional and dangerous, good lord. He doesn’t like the report so it’s meaningless apparently.
Trump would love boris to be PM.
What a fool.
The problem with Trump is his America first way of thinking he lied when he said he wanted to trade with UK just look at when he sided with Boeing against Bombardier it’s hard to know what Trump is thinking at any given time
have your say