Madam, – Conor Lally’s excellent article (Weekend Review, May 8th), raises many issues about the trafficking of women into brothels in Ireland. 1. The level of violence used. 2. The lack of any supports for the women involved. 3. The violation of basic human rights.
Due to the clandestine nature of prostitution, and its illegal status, the men and women who work as voluntary sex workers receive no protection from the Irish State. They are denied basic human and labour rights.
Sex Workers Alliance Ireland was officially launched last November in response to injustices to sex workers.
We would reiterate our mission statement about our fundamental opposition to trafficking for the purposes of prostitution of women and children and we are supportive of any effort to combat trafficking. That said, we make a clear distinction between sex work migrants who come to Ireland to work and victims of trafficking.
Trafficking should not be conflated with prostitution as people are trafficked into many industries, and prostitution exists regardless of trafficking. The current Irish legal context and criminalised environment gives a carte blanche to criminal gangs to control prostitution.
By criminalising the actions of consenting adult men and women, these allies in the fight against trafficking are lost. In countries where sex work has been decriminalised, it is the clients and fellow sex workers who frequently aid the police in tackling trafficking.
As long as the Irish State buries its head in the sand and fails to regulate and control prostitution, such practices will continue. – Yours, etc,