THERE are more sex services for sale in Santry than in any other area in Dublin outside the city centre, according to one of Ireland’s most prominent
‘escort’ websites.
Last week there were 39 postings on the UK registered website for the Northside suburb offering a variety of services at prices ranging between
?¬60 and
?¬150 for 30 minutes.
The services were being offered by mostly women working alone, with one transsexual, one couple and two female bisexuals also advertising.
There are now over 40 per cent more escort services available in Santry than there was two years ago, when Northside People reported 27 women selling sex in the area.
Most of the services are being offered from apartment complexes in the area and the majority are provided by non-Irish nationals from EU countries, who seldom work from the one location for more than a month.
Last week there were almost 300 advertisements on the site offering services throughout the city. More than half were based in city centre areas but there were 20 in Phibsboro and 18 in Dublin 15.
Current legislation, now under review, states that it is only an offence to
“organise prostitution, coerce or compel a person to be a prostitute, knowingly live off the earnings of a prostitute, or keep or manage a brothel.
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Most of the women on the website are advertised as working independently, making it difficult to prove that any laws are being broken. However, it’s feared some may be working under duress to pay off debts owed to human traffickers.
The Immigrant Council of Ireland is calling on Dublin’s newly elected councillors and MEPs to take a lead against trafficking by targeting local sex buyers.
The ICI is one of 70 Irish organisations involved in the Turn Off the Red Light campaign aimed at combating human trafficking, exploitation and abuse.
“The campaign to end the exploitation and abuse of women and girls by targeting demand has secured huge public and political support across Dublin,
? said Immigrant Council chief executive, Denise Charlton.
“Trade unionists, doctors, nurses, survivors of prostitution, children’s rights campaigners, business leaders and many more have added their voices, as well as thousands of individuals who have used our web page to email their TDs.
“We are now approaching the second anniversary of the Government review on the laws on prostitution and the first anniversary since the Oireachtas Justice Committee unanimously backed sex buyer laws.
“Together with other campaigners, we believe that newly elected councillors and MEPS now have a role to play to increase the pressure on the Government to bring in robust laws to end these crimes.
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Anti Trafficking Co-ordinator with the Immigrant Council, Nusha Yonkova, believes time is of the essence when it comes to tackling the problem.
“After two years of debate we cannot afford any further delay,
? she said.
“While our TDs and Senators have been talking, Dublin’s pimps and traffickers have continued their crimes unabated.
“It is estimated they take between
?¬180 million and
?¬250 million out of our communities each year by forcing women and girls to have sex with up to a dozen men a day in brothels right across Dublin, and every county.
“The time to act has arrived, and we are counting on our newly elected representatives to play their part.”