Campaigns 
Tackling Demand for Paid Sex
Friday, 03 September 2010
The ICI is a member of the Turn Off the Red Light – End Prostitution in Ireland campaign alliance and sits on its advisory board.
Our interest in this issue stems from the fact that nine out of 10 women involved in Ireland’s indoor sex industry (by far the largest sector of the sex industry) are migrant women.
Our research, “Globalisation, Sex Trafficking and Prostitution: The Experiences of Migrant Women in Ireland” identified 102 women and girls who were trafficked into or through Ireland for the purposes of sexual exploitation over a period of less than two years. In addition, many hundreds more migrant women who did not fit the internationally agreed definition of a victim of trafficking were being exploited through prostitution. Their circumstances left many of those women with no viable option to becoming involved in prostitution.
The ICI believes the most effect way to end the exploitation of women and children in the Irish sex industry is to adopt the legislative model in place in Sweden, Norway and Iceland, where buying sexual services has been criminalised. We believe demand for paid sex fuels the sex industry into which women and girls are trafficked and exploited.
Ireland is obliged to address demand for paid sex under the Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings. The Irish Government ratified this Convention in July 2010 and it entered into force on November 1, 2010.
Article Six of the Convention obliges signatories to introduce legislative, educational and awareness raising measures to discourage demand for services bought from trafficked people. Applied to sex trafficking, this essentially means that demand for paid sex in Ireland must be discouraged through a set of measures.
Legislation criminalising the purchase of sex has brought about important changes to the local commercial sex industry in the countries where it has been implemented and has resulted in a reduction in sex trafficking. At the societal level, this approach has brought about significant changes in public attitudes. Among the countries that have introduced such legislation are Sweden, Norway and Iceland, while the UK has introduced legislation criminalising the purchase of sex from women who are controlled by others.
The ICI’s research report on sex trafficking contained a recommendation that measures be adopted to tackle demand for paid sex, including legislative measures to criminalise the purchase of sex.
In June 2009, the ICI and the Irish Human Rights Commission hosted a major conference to discuss the issue of demand for paid sex, “The Dilemma of Demand”.
In line with the recommendation contained in our research, the ICI will continue to lobby for legislative reform and stronger measures to address demand for paid sex, including opportunities presented through our involvement in the Government’s Anti Human Trafficking Unit working groups.
For more information on the ICI's lobbying efforts and other activities in relation to our campaign to progress this issue further, please visit www.turnofftheredlight.ie
Presentation: Address of Sr Stan at Annual INMO Conference - Thursday, May 5, 2011
Event: Political Briefing on Prostitution on sex trafficking in Ireland - Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The ICI coordinated a briefing for politicians on the Turn Off the Red Light: End Prostitution in Ireland (TORL) campaign in Buswells Hotel on Wednesday, May 4, 2011. The attending politicians were met and briefed by representatives of key organisations driving the national campaign forward. The ICI is pleased to say that the event highlighted the wealth of political interest and support for the campaign as 39 TDs - including two Ministers - attended the briefing.
Media release: Ireland should adopt Swedish model when legislating for sex industry - Monday July 5, 2010
Media release: UK Anti-trafficking legislation could lead to more sex trafficking into Ireland: ICI
Publication: 'Evaluation of the Swedish legislation' - Summary - August 2010
Presentation: Stellan Hermanson to the Act to Prevent Trafficking conference, "Human Trafficking: Psychologically Shattered and Caught in a Legal Quagmire", October 19, 2009
Presentation: Victor Malarek: Presentation to The Dilemma of Demand conference, June 23, 2009
Presentation: 'International Human Rights Law and State Practice - Sex Trafficking and Prostitution: The Dilemma of Demand', June 23, 2009
Presentation: 'Legislative and Policy Options in the Irish Context - Sex Trafficking and Prostitution: The Dilemma of Demand', June 23, 2009
Presentation: 'Briefing for Oireachtas Members & Staff - Globalisation, Prostitution and Sex Trafficking: The experiences of migrant women in Ireland', June 17, 2009
Presentation: 'Briefing for Oireachtas Members & Staff on the Women's Health Project', June 17, 2009