The Department of Justice and Equality is accepting submissions from groups and individuals to review Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 which deals with the criminal offence of the Purchase of Sexual Services in Ireland.
The law amendment in 2017 decriminalised the seller of sexual access and it passed on the stigma and criminality to the purchaser of sexual services, where it belongs.
The purpose of this legislation is to protect vulnerable people, who are mostly women. The legal change has only been in place for a short time and needs coordinated strategies and supports so its original objectives, which are to keep women and others in prostitution safe and to provide them opportunities to leave, can be achieved.
You can complete the Consultation Survey by clicking on this link. It will only take 10 minutes of your time and it is anonymous. Alternatively, you can email your written submission addressing the terms outlined to s7areview@justice.ie before Friday, 11th September, 2020.
If you are not part of an NGO, you can fill in the survey. It is filled with questions about the operation of the current law that makes purchase of sex a criminal offence. Please support this legislation in order to help stop the expansion of the sex trade which could mean the opening of brothels in the country.
Pro sex work lobby groups in Ireland and internationally who like to say “sex work is work” and “sex work is empowering” make claims that decriminalising the purchase of sex will make women who work in the sex industry safer however this claim has no basis whatsoever and is a myth. This claim fails to address the issue at hand and that is, the sex trade is inherently dangerous and the only way to be safe is by working towards ending the demand. Research shows that countries that have decriminalised sex buyers and pimps or legalised the sex trade completely often experience a surge in human trafficking, pimping and other related crimes.
“Look, men pay for women because he can have whatever and whoever he wants. Lots of men go to prostitutes so they can do things to them that real women would not put up with”
(Men who buy sex. Who they buy and what they know., EAVES, Prostitution Research & Education, 2009, p.8)
Here are important things to note which might help you in filling in the survey or if you want to submit your thoughts on the review by email:
- Most women who are in the sex industry are not there by choice, which means they are in the industry because they were coerced, trafficked or forced into it by their dire and desperate personal circumstances
- 80-90% of prostitutes in Ireland are made up of migrant women. (Monica O’Connor, The Sex Economy, Agenda Publishing 2019 p. 18)
- The law under review has only been in operation for a short time. There needs to be strategies and support systems that need to be improved in order for this legislation to work in fighting sex trafficking and combating the harms of prostitution
Here are a number of facts against legalising prostitution:
- An investigation commissioned by the European Parliament found that in countries with legal prostitution, such as Austria, “the effect of regulation can be a massive increase in migrant prostitution and an indirect support to the spreading of the illegal market in the sex industry.” (National Legislation on Prostitution and the Trafficking in Women and Children: pp. 132)
- Denmark decriminalized prostitution in 1999, and the government’s own estimates show that the prevalence increased substantially over the decade that followed. (Prostitutionens omfang og former 2012/2013: pp. 7)
- After New Zealand decriminalized prostitution in 2003, there were still reports among prostituted persons of “continuing stigma” and “harassment by the general public.” In addition, there was little difference in disclosure of occupation to healthcare professionals before and after decriminalization. (The Impact of the Prostitution Reform Act on the Health and Safety practices of Sex Workers: pp. 11 and 12)
“You pay for the convenience, a bit like going to the public loo.”
(Men who buy sex. Who they buy and what they know., EAVES, Prostitution Research & Education, 2009, p.8)
- An investigation commissioned by the European Parliament found that in countries with legal prostitution, such as Austria, “the effect of regulation can be a massive increase in migrant prostitution and an indirect support to the spreading of the illegal market in the sex industry.” (National Legislation on Prostitution and the Trafficking in Women and Children: pp. 132)
- Denmark decriminalized prostitution in 1999, and the government’s own estimates show that the prevalence increased substantially over the decade that followed. (Prostitutionens omfang og former 2012/2013: pp. 7)
- After New Zealand decriminalized prostitution in 2003, there were still reports among prostituted persons of “continuing stigma” and “harassment by the general public.” In addition, there was little difference in disclosure of occupation to healthcare professionals before and after decriminalization. (The Impact of the Prostitution Reform Act on the Health and Safety practices of Sex Workers: pp. 11 and 12)
- An investigation commissioned by the European Parliament found that in countries with legal prostitution, such as Austria, “the effect of regulation can be a massive increase in migrant prostitution and an indirect support to the spreading of the illegal market in the sex industry.” (National Legislation on Prostitution and the Trafficking in Women and Children: pp. 132)
- Denmark decriminalized prostitution in 1999, and the government’s own estimates show that the prevalence increased substantially over the decade that followed. (Prostitutionens omfang og former 2012/2013: pp. 7)
- After New Zealand decriminalized prostitution in 2003, there were still reports among prostituted persons of “continuing stigma” and “harassment by the general public.” In addition, there was little difference in disclosure of occupation to healthcare professionals before and after decriminalization. (The Impact of the Prostitution Reform Act on the Health and Safety practices of Sex Workers: pp. 11 and 12
Women deserve better opportunities so they don’t have to even consider prostituting themselves to put food on the table, to keep roofs over their heads and to survive.
Decriminalising pimps, sex buyers and allowing brothels to operate is essentially legalising prostitution which doesn’t solve the many issues that the sex industry has which includes sex trafficking.
There should be better job opportunities, housing and support for poor women, not state-sponsored sexual exploitation, which is what will happen if we follow the pro sex decriminalisation lobby groups.
The sex industry is inherently violent with high risk of rape and assault. It’s time we end the stigma on prostitution. It’s about time we restructure society and reframe our views on buying sex. Why have we normalised this act? Why can’t we collectively work on improving the conditions and choices of women?
By legalising all aspects of the sex trade, the government becomes the pimp. This means they will be supporting sexual exploitation and violence to continue. They will be supporting the notion that for women in poverty, men are entitled sexual access for a price.
“I feel sorry for these girls but this is what I want.”
(Men who buy sex. Who they buy and what they know., EAVES, Prostitution Research & Education, 2009, p.8)
We need to work together by demanding better.
Make sure to complete the Consultation Survey by clicking on this link before Friday, 11th September, 2020.
