Press Release

Thursday February 25, 2010

Prostitution is as likely to become a legitimate career as TCD is to run a Masters in pimping, ICI tells The Phil

Immigrant Council of Ireland Anti-Trafficking Coordinator Nusha Yonkova told a Trinity College Dublin University Philosophical Society (The Phil) debate tonight that prostitution is as likely to become a legitimate career as their university is to run a Masters in pimping.

Ms Yonkova was speaking in the debate, “That This House Believes That Prostitution is a Legitimate Career Move”, at TCD tonight.

“Research from around the world shows that the overwhelming majority of women involved in prostitution would rather not be and would leave if they felt they could,” Ms Yonkova said.

“Research commissioned by the Immigrant Council of Ireland clearly outlines the psychological and physical harm women experience from prostitution.

“This includes the emotional stress and trauma women experience by being controlled by others, having no idea who is going to walk through the door and demand sex from them and knowing they could face severe punishment for saying ‘no’ to clients or their demands.

“The physical harm includes real and threatened violence, sexually transmitted infections and injuries from providing sex to multiple men on a daily basis and reproductive health complications.

“Common sense says very few people would voluntarily choose prostitution as a so-called career move if they have viable options.”

Ms Yonkova said the real question was how paid sex could be seen as a legitimate consumer product.

“We know prostitution harms women and we know most women involved in prostitution come from a background of poverty, abuse or conflict,” she said.

“How can we say it is acceptable in a modern society for women to pay such a heavy price to alleviate poverty?”

Ms Yonkova said there is ample evidence from countries that have legalised brothels that doing so leads to an increase in sex trafficking.

She called on the Irish Government to follow the approach adopted by Sweden, Iceland and Norway and to criminalise the purchase of sexual services, to tackle sex trafficking and the exploitation of women in the sex industry.

For more information, please contact Ruth Evans on 087 067 3676.

Prostitution is as likely to become a legitimate career as TCD is to run a Masters in pimping, ICI tells The Phil (PDF)