"Ruhama urges government to go further in criminalising the purchasers of sex"
The first ever advert to be aired in Ireland aimed at men who use prostitutes was launched today (Monday 10th).
Mary O Rourke TD launched the advert at All Hallows College this morning. She is a patron of Ruhama, an organisation who works with women involved in prostitution, who commissioned the advert.
The advert highlights the provisions of the Human Trafficking Act 2008, which criminalised the use of prostitutes who have been trafficked. Under the new law, those who use trafficked women for sex could face up to five years in jail.
The advert shows an actress portraying a young woman of Eastern European origin lured to Ireland under the false promise of a restaurant job. When she arrives in Ireland, she is forced into prostitution. The advert shows her paraded in front of ‘respectable clients’.
Ms. Gerardine Rowley, spokesperson for Ruhama said that the advert is aimed at the men who currently use prostitutes but it may also speak to others who would consider using these women.
Ms. Rowley said, “It is a relatively new phenomenon in Ireland and therefore men don’t realise the implications.”
Speaking about the legislation, Ms. Rowley said that Ruhama welcomed it but felt that it did not go far enough. The legislation only relates to women who have been trafficked but Ruhama would like to see it extended to all women involved in prostitution in Ireland.
Ms. Rowley quoted the Swedish model. In 1999, Sweden criminalised anyone who purchases sex. Since then Sweden has not experienced any increase in trafficking or use of prostitutes. Ms. Rowley said it was an increase in education and not policing that is the reason for the progress.
Norway has followed this model and Ruhama urges the Irish government to do so also.
Ruhama says it is the demand from men for these women that is fuelling the trafficking problem. Ms. Rowley said that their organisation has to compete with the sex industry. While they received some funding from the Department of Justice they could have done a bigger campaign with greater funding.
Ms. Rowley said that the sex industry has massive amounts of money to sell “myths to men”. She said that men see women smiling and looking happy but do not realise the other side. These women have to give money over to a third party and do not profit as much as the industry would lead men to believe.
Kathleen Fahy, Director of Ruhama appealed to men who use women in the sex trade “to think about the hurt and trauma inflicted on the women”. She said “It is time to bring the buyers to prominence in the evil crime of sex trafficking.”
It is Ruhama’s belief that the sex trade has become normalised in Ireland over recent years. It has become part of the entertainment of a night out for some men. These men are not aware of the dehumanising situation that the women are placed in.
Earlier this year Ruhama released figures that stated in 2007 they were in contact with 33 new victims of trafficking, coming from countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Burundi, Malawi, Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Thailand, Brazil, Romania, and Lithuania.
Ruhama also confirmed that 18 victims of trafficking were located outside of Dublin in locations such as Kilkenny, Waterford, Sligo, Athlone, Dundalk, Drogheda, Monaghan and Donegal. Ruhama insists this campaign is in no way just directed at the Dublin area.
The advert will air on RTE and Sentanta Sports over the next month.
Ruhama urge those wishing to get involved with or donate to their campaign to visit their website www.ruhama.ie.
