Garda and court stats are proof that sex work laws are a complete failure says Sex Workers Alliance Ireland
Statistics published by the Minister for Justice on October 8th demonstrate that sex work laws are failing on their own terms. Meanwhile, sex workers in Ireland have faced increased violence, threats, murder and stigma.
“Who exactly are these laws for?” asked Linda Kavanagh, spokesperson for the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI). “The statistics confirm that the law is not reducing the demand for sex work. The number of summons increases year-on-year. Since its introduction, only a handful of clients have been prosecuted. This shows the law is not fit for purpose.”
“We do not advocate for the prosecution of clients because we know, and evidence has repeatedly shown, that any form of criminalisation of sex work harms sex workers themselves.
"This focus on punishing clients has done nothing to improve the situation for sex workers and has actively made things worse, as we warned when the law was debated.”
“The 2017 Sexual Offences Act was introduced with a promise to shift the burden of criminality away from those selling sexual services and onto those purchasing them.
"The reality, however, is that sex workers continue to operate in a climate of fear, where they are vulnerable to violence and exploitation, precisely because of the law. SWAI has long warned that the criminalisation of clients would drive the industry further underground, making it more dangerous for sex workers.”
She said the figures show the law is not protecting sex workers. Instead, it has created a "hostile environment where clients and sex workers themselves are deterred from reporting violence or exploitation for fear of prosecution, leaving sex workers more isolated and at risk."
“Despite its original, misguided intent to protect vulnerable individuals, the figures indicate that the law has failed to meet its objectives. Year after year, the US Trafficking in Person’s report highlights Ireland’s failure to prosecute traffickers and identify trafficking victims.”
“You only have to look at advertising sites to see the number of people in sex work has not fallen. Again we ask, who are these laws for?”
“While the delusional Act was supposed to allow sex workers to report violence without fear of prosecution, this so-called protection has not translated into meaningful support.”
“Recent research has shown that sex workers in Ireland feel stigma more profoundly than their counterparts in Scotland and New Zealand."
She said they have also reported on stalking and harassment of sex workers in Kerry, Galway and Carlow in the past week.
"These are just two of many examples of how the law has made sex workers more vulnerable, more at risk, and less safe," she said.
