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Combat Sex Trafficking in Ireland - Implementation of Swedish Model

Combat Sex Trafficking in Ireland - Implementation of Swedish Model

Closed — 70 supporters Verified

Final supporters

C
caoimhe s.
N
Noeleen K.
M
Mrs H.
S
Sharon R.
F
Finbarr A.
D
Deborah
M
Michael N.
E
Elise W.
L
Leticia R.
S
Susan O.
+60 more
Started by Anonymous 13 years, 6 months ago
In Sweden it is against the law to buy sexual services, but not to sell them - the buyers of sexual services are criminalized and not those involved in the sexual acts. The idea behind this law in Sweden is that prostitution is regarded as violence against women and children, is harmful to society as a whole, and represents a barrier to the goal of gender equality. The Swedish model is believed to act as a deterrent to traffickers in many ways - strict laws to penalize the purchasers of sexual services reduces demand, which in turn reduces the domestic sex market, which makes it more risky and less profitable for traffickers to locate there. Currently in Ireland, buying sex is NOT illegal; either is selling sexual services. It is time to change the law in Ireland and implement legislation which will save the many women forced into prostitution by way of trafficking, poverty, homelessness, drug addiction, etc. Prostitution is caused by a demand of some men for access to women's bodies in order to satisfy their sexual desires; men create this demand, while women are the supply. A law that creates a sanction for purchasing sex will send a clear signal that in Irish society it is not acceptable to buy another person like a commodity for personal gratification. Currently, the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality are undergoing a Review of Legislation on Prostitution which is in the discussion stages. We the undersigned believe and hope that Ireland will implement legislation targeting sex trafficking in Ireland. We hope this vital and necessary legislation will be implemented without further delay in order to save the lives of hundreds of women forced to work in sexual slavery in Ireland.

Updates

March 12, 2013

The scale of this support has secured us a formal meeting with members of the Joint Committee on Justice. We are now preparing a policy brief that outlines the specific legislative changes required to adopt the Swedish model.

6 Comments

L
Liam Hart
13 years ago Featured

Yes. This helps protect the vulnerable. The law needs to change now.

A
Aoife Sloan
13 years ago Featured

so many women are trapped and hurting because of this system. punish the buyers. dont make it harder for the victims.

P
Pat Meyer
13 years ago Featured

Makes total sense. We need to stop the money flowing into this industry. Hope this goes through.

G
Grainne Liu
13 years ago Featured

finally! it is just exploitation plain and simple. why has it taken so long for the government to see this is violence.

S
Siobhan Jenkins
13 years ago Featured

its about time ireland caught up with the rest of the world and stopped letting this happen in our streets. thank you for pushing this.

C
Ciaran Afolabi
13 years ago Featured

Absolute disgrace that this is even legal here. Stop the demand and the rest will follow. About time someone did something.