TO MARK EU Anti-Trafficking Day the Immigrant Council of Ireland have demanded that sex-buyer laws be introduced in Ireland.
Yesterday, campaigners met with politicians at Leinster House to discuss the possibility of introducing laws to curb pimps and traffickers .
Justice Committee
The campaigners met with politicians from all sides in an effort to ensure unanimous recommendations from the Oireachtas Justice Committee in favour of such laws are acted upon.
The Global Slavery Index published yesterday, shows that up to 340 people are living in slavery in Ireland.
The index finds that the most prevalent form of trafficking in Ireland is for sexual exploitation, with the victims mostly being women and girls.
The ICI said this has highlighted the need for urgent political action including laws aimed at ending demand for sex-trafficking.
Laws
Denise Charlton Chief Executive of the Immigrant Council of Ireland said:
On Anti-Trafficking Day 2013, Ireland has an opportunity to take a lead in the international battle against sex-trafficking.A milestone has been reached in the debate with the publication of the Justice Committee recommendations in June favouring laws against sex buyers. The challenge is to get the Government to act.
ICI said that more than 800 women are for sale online every day and 43 trafficking victims were found in 2012, of which 23 were children. Pimps and traffickers take up to €250 million a year from our communities.
“Doing nothing is no longer an option… people have had enough of this crime – and are looking to our leaders to act and shut this down once and for all,” said Charlton.
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