Legal ban ‘only way’ to fight prostitution

MAKING it a criminal offence to pay for sex in Ireland is the only way to stop the growing number of younger men using prostitutes, Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) insisted yesterday.

RCNI executive director Fiona Neary said she was appalled but not surprised that more men aged between 25 to 34 were now paying for sex.

The Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships, commissioned by the Department of Health and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, found while the biggest group using prostitutes are men aged between 55 and 64, the second largest are men aged between 25 and 34.

The most likely to pay for sex are those in professional and managerial positions, and single men.

Ms Neary said it was disturbing that paying for sex was now regarded as okay by people who wanted to perpetuate the myth of the ‘happy hooker’ — that women were in it for the money and that it was a lifestyle choice.

“What we are seeing is the appalling effects of trafficking in Eastern European countries,” she said.

“Making it a criminal offence in Sweden has proved highly successful in reducing prostitution and the number of women and girls involved.”

The RCNI believes that legalising prostitution in Ireland would make it immediately attractive to traffickers in Eastern Europe. It is a very uninformed position for people to take,” Ms Neary said.

The RCNI also welcomed the report’s finding that the average age of first time sex was 17.

“This research vindicates the RCNI stance in arguing for the retention of the age of consent at 17,” said Ms Neary. “This data really equips teenagers who want the option of saying no and delaying sexual activity until they feel old enough.”

Consistently bombarding young people with misinformation that their peers are becoming sexually active at younger ages is misleading and potentially harmful, Ms Neary warned.

She said earlier research by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency found stereotypes still persisted and contributed to an environment where sexual violence was enabled.

“The agency found that boys felt they had to appear macho and ready for sex at all times, whereas girls were expected to have a good reputation while simultaneously feeling under pressure from boys to lose their virginity,” she pointed out.

Meanwhile, the Pro-Life Campaign has disputed the report’s findings that 64% think abortion is acceptable in some circumstances.

Dr Berry Kiely of Pro- Life said the results were not surprising given distinctions were not made between health inventions and deliberate abortions.