Concern has been expressed about the growth of lap-dancing clubs in Ireland.
The Ruhama Women's Project, a group that works with prostitutes, suggested yesterday that the clubs should be banned because of their "inevitable" links to prostitution.
"In many countries, including EU countries, lap-dancing leads many women into prostitution and this is our main concern about the development of Irish clubs," according to the director of Ruhama, Ms Maura Connolly.
"We have no evidence to suggest that Irish lap-dancing clubs are in any way involved with prostitution. However, if the story of other EU countries is replicated, the outcome here is inevitable."
Accompanying Ms Connolly at a press conference yesterday was Ms Louise Eek, a Swedish former lap-dancer and prostitute, who has written a book about her experiences. Ms Eek also called for the closure of lap-dancing clubs. It was good, she said, that prostitution was not found in Irish clubs. But she suggested this state of affairs was unlikely to last.
The number of lap-dancing clubs in Ireland has mushroomed in the past five years, starting in Dublin and spreading to many provincial towns.
Lap-dancers, who are usually topless, perform erotic dances in front of paying customers who are not allowed to touch the women. Irish club owners say prostitution is not allowed on their premises. Last December, Dublin Circuit Civil Court overruled Garda objections to give a club in Temple Bar a public dancing licence.
According to Ms Connolly, lap-dancing is presented as "innocent fun", when it is actually part of the global sex industry.
"But we would have concerns about this prevailing attitude and would ask people to examine this form of entertainment more critically." She said many of the women involved in the business came from overseas.
"How did they become engaged in lap-dancing? What kind of choices did they have? In other countries, the denial of real choice for women is a serious concern. How are these foreign women being treated in Ireland, and do they have the same freedom of movement as Irish women?" she asked. Ms Connolly challenged the media to look at the industry more critically and to take on board "the reality of the international experience and practice".
The Garda was acting within the law in relation to lap-dancing, she said.
Ruhama has been working with prostitutes since 1987. Ms Connolly said Irish prostitutes were so stigmatised that they would not be able to speak publicly in the manner Ms Eek had.
