A new initiative to encourage women who are victims of sex-trafficking to seek help has been launched by Ruhama, the support organisation for women involved in prostitution.
The awareness campaign, which is being run in conjunction with the Garda, was launched yesterday to mark EU Anti-Trafficking Day in Brussels.
Leaflets and posters explaining how to contact Ruhama and what support and assistance the organisation can offer will be available in Garda stations across the country in several languages, including Russian, Romanian, Nigerian, French and Portuguese.
Due to the covert nature of trafficking for prostitution, it has become increasingly difficult to make contact with victims, Ruhama director Kathleen Fahy said.
"We recognise the gardaí as one group which is particularly likely to meet this target group of women and so be in a position to make our services known to them."
Ruhama has also been involved in Garda training courses aimed at making members of the force more attuned to recognising cases of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Ruhama has met senior management in the Garda National Immigration Bureau in recent weeks to discuss the issues.
It says that regular contact will be maintained beteen both parties to ensure that priority is given to victim welfare and that those engaged in the criminal acts are brought to justice.
