SPECIAL REPORT: Reaching out to help

Speaking about the organisation’s experience of working with prostitutes in Limerick, many of whom also advertise off-street services online, Doras Luimní’s anti-trafficking officer Patricia Stapleton, said more than 80% of those working in prostitution are of Eastern European nationality and are typically aged between 18 and 24.

“We would have a concern as we’re not entirely sure if they have complete control over their own earnings. There are very visible signs of control and sometimes coercion. There are always people around watching and monitoring,” she said.

Also of concern is the age of those involved, as Ms Stapleton said “they are all quite young”.

“We’re talking 18 to 24 and a few in their late 20s. Seventeen is legal age of consent so they are over that age for the most part and I think the gardaí are very much on the ball about that in that they do check IDs. But we are concerned of the fact that some of them are barely 18,” she said.

Doras Luimní made a submission to the Dáil Justice Committee as part of the Turn Off The Red Light campaign.

“Our real issues are around women doing indoor and outdoor work and we don’t believe they have much say over who they work with or how much of their earnings they get to keep. In terms of organising prostitution, the penalties for organising, for controlling or for running a brothel are quite low and are not really in force.

“Our issues are around the fact that landlords can rent flats to women. Normally you would pay rent monthly but for women who work in prostitution, they pay weekly and they pay a really inflated rate to the landlords.

“We want tougher controls and penalties for people like that who knowingly rent flats. And even if they don’t know, it is in their interest to know that their flat is being used for prostitution or illegal purposes.”

While it is accepted by Ms Stapleton that the on-street scene is primarily Limerick-centric, she said there is also a separate off-street scene that these women are involved in.

While she cannot say these woman are also offering services in Clare, she said the concerns the organisation has relate to all those working in the industry.

Ms Stapleton said also of concern to Doras Luimní is the fact these women work seven days a week, by working in both sectors.

Their submission also seeks to address the issue of strict liability in relation to those who are trafficked.

“In human trafficking legislation in Ireland, it is a criminal offence to knowingly buy sex or buy the services of a trafficked person. However, you can use the argument that you didn’t know the person was trafficked, so we don’t have strict liability. In other words, the liability doesn’t rest with you. As far we are concerned we should remove that, especially in terms of children and we feel that would decrease demand,” she added.

Doras Luimní was set up as a development organisation for refugees and asylum seekers but now provides services to all migrants living in the Limerick area.

Doras Luimní also provides a harm reduction and exiting model for prostitutes as part of their outreach programme.

“Harm reduction means providing condoms and reducing the harms that occur to the women while they work. Exiting means providing the mechanism for them to exit prostitution if they so choose.

“If you are Irish, it is easy to get these but a lot of the women we work with are not Irish; they are Romanian and while they are EU citizens, they are not habitual residents so we have to satisfy habitual residency conditions.

“They don’t have any entitlements to social welfare or rent allowance so it makes it very difficult for them to support themselves outside of this industry. They get into it for this reason. Because they are vulnerable and are criminalised and they work marginally, they have no support systems. The people they work with are their support systems.

“We help regularise their lives, things like getting them PPS numbers. We help them fill out forms, legal advice, we have had people who need to access emergency accommodation because we have interpreters and case workers, emigration advice and support. If they want to be repatriated, often they come to us. We liaise with other service providers,” Ms Stapleton concluded.