Campaigns 
Combating Trafficking and Exploitation in the Sex Industry
Friday, 03 September 2010
ICI Chief Executive Denise Charlton (centre) takes a question from the floor at the launch of our groundbreaking research, "Globalisation, Sex Trafficking and Prostitution - the Experiences of Migrant Women in Ireland". Other speakers included (from left) ICI Founder Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, research co-author Monica O'Connor (obscured), former Director of Ruhama Kathleen Fahy and research co-author Patricia Kelleher.
The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) is lobbying for legislative reform to improve the level of protection and services available to victims of trafficking. In addition, we have called on the Government to tackle the demand for sexual services which fuels the sex industry into which women and girls are trafficked by criminalising the purchase of sex.
In late 2007, the ICI commissioned a major research project to map the extent, causes and best ways to respond to trafficking of women into or through Ireland for the purposes of sexual exploitation. The ICI had become concerned about women presenting to us who we believed met the internationally agreed definition of victims of trafficking. In addition, through our work with other service providers, we believed that the extent of trafficking into or through Ireland was far greater than was officially recognised at that time.
In April 2009, we launched the report from this research project, “Globalisation, Sex Trafficking and Prostitution: The Experiences of Migrant Women in Ireland”. The research identified more than 100 women and girls who met the internationally agreed definition of a victim of trafficking who had presented to 10 different service providers in Ireland over a period of less than two years. The research indicated that these identified victims are a fraction of the real number of women who are victims of trafficking in this country.
In addition, the research found that many hundreds more women, the overwhelming majority of whom are migrant women, are being sexually exploited for profit in the Irish sex industry, which was conservatively estimated to be worth more than €180 million a year.
The terms of reference for the research included examining the indoor sex industry because we believe there is no clear delineation between where sex trafficking ends and so-called consent to be involved in prostitution begins. While many of the women involved in indoor prostitution do not fit the official definition of victims of trafficking, there was considerable evidence showing that poverty, life circumstances and exploitation led them to their current situation.
Over the last four years, the ICI has been dealing with cases concerning migrant women who meet the internationally agreed criteria for victims of human trafficking.
We have invested in enhanced expertise in this area in order to provide appropriate support to victims and also to participate in the relevant national anti-trafficking programmes in an informed manner. As a result of our efforts, the National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking identifies the ICI as the best positioned expert body to train the Legal Aid Board in the provision of legal services to victims of human trafficking.
The ICI continues to lobby for a better response to the needs of victims of trafficking and exploitation in the sex industry . We have hosted roundtable discussions and conferences focusing on various aspects of human trafficking, such as the identification and protection of victims, research and services, development of a national action plan and the need to tackle the demand for prostitution.
We are an active participant in the national consultation process on measures and policies needed for the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. We work in collaboration with statutory and non-statutory partners to achieve greater coordination in the response to victims of human trafficking. We also lobby for legislative reform to improve the level of protection and services available.
In addition, we have called on the Government to criminalise the purchase of sex in a bid to end the exploitation of women in Ireland’s sex industry
Report: Asylum Seeking victims of human trafficking in Ireland - Legal and practical challenges
Presentation: 'Coordinating assistance and safe places to stay for victims of trafficking in prostitution' by Unni Kiil, Project Coordinator of the The Secretariat of the Shelters movement in Norway, October 1, 2008
Presentation: 'Trafficking in Ireland: Reaching Minimum Standards from a Human Rights Perspective' by Suzanne Egan, Irish Human Rights Commission, April 9, 2008