EU Anti Trafficking Day – 18 October 2012
Sex Trafficking still a Dreadful Reality for Too Many Women
Ruhama Press Release
The 18th October is annual EU Anti-Trafficking Day - a day to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking.
Ruhama has been to the fore in assisting women who are victims of sex trafficking in Ireland since 2000. Last year we assisted 91 suspected victims of sex trafficking; 22 of these were new cases.
Sarah Benson, CEO, Ruhama said: Sex trafficking remains a serious issue in Ireland - each year we assist women who have been coerced into the sex trade; moved around the country, highly controlled, experience violence and intimidation, and are exploited by traffickers.
Sarah Benson said: The horrorof sex trafficking needs to be seen within the context of an expanding Irish sex trade; where the profile of those prostituted is predominantly migrant women from poor countries and with an ever increasing prevalence of criminal gangs controlling the sex trade.
Sarah Benson said: Given the degree of organised prostitution in Ireland and its overlap with human trafficking, we believe it is of critical importance that the Garda Commissioner establishes a national Garda vice unit, whose resources would be ring-fenced to carry out the necessary surveillance to combat this heinous crime and rescue its victims.
This 6th EU Anti Trafficking Day coincides with the Irish Government’s consultation process on the law and prostitution. Under the latest EU Directive on Human Trafficking which Ireland has signed and needs to transpose in law before April 2013, each country is required to take measures to discourage and reduce demand. We are calling on the Minister of Justice today, to reduce the demand in the sex trade and curb sex trafficking by introducing legislation which will criminalise the buying of sex.
Ruhama staff are taking part in a number of awareness raising events today, both nationally and internationally, to mark EU Anti Trafficking Day – Sarah Benson, CEO of Ruhama will be attending a high level conference in Brusselsorganized by the Cyprus EU Presidency and the European Commission. Sheila Crowley, Services Manager of Ruhama will be speaking in Limerick at a conference on human trafficking, organized by our Turn Off the Red Light campaign partners,Doras Luimní.
ENDS
Contact:
Gerardine Rowley, Communications & Policy Manager, Ruhama 086 259 1247
Wally Young, Young Communications, 087 247 1520