Book turns spotlight on prostitution

UP to 50 people gathered last night for the launch of a groundbreaking book on prostitution in Ireland, written by one of the Irish Examiner’s leading journalists.

Stephen Rogers was approached by publishers Gill and Macmillan to write the book after he penned a series of articles on prostitution for this newspaper in 2007. Onthegame.ie explores a hidden world where women put themselves at risk of rape and beatings daily, where pimps are taking over half of their earnings and where drugs are never far away.

Onthegame.ie is the first book by an Irish Examiner staff writer to be launched in the newspaper’s headquarters at City Quarter, Lapp’s Quay in Cork.

“The book explores how prostitution has moved from the traditional on-street operation to a multi-million euro ‘industry’ involving up to 1,000 women,” said the Belfast-born author.

“What I also discovered was a Government ill-prepared to deal with the extent of the problem and to acknowledge the numbers of women who are being forced to have sex with Irish men against their will,”

Irish Examiner chief executive Tom Murphy and executive editor Dolan O’Hagan joined Stephen’s wife, Sheelagh, daughter Eabha, and newsroom colleagues at last night’s launch.

“Stephen wrote this very important book in his normal competent, confident and authoritative manner and with the high standards that mark out all of his work. He is also continuing the proud tradition of Irish Examiner staff writers who have books published,” said Mr Murphy.

Mr O’Hagan echoed these sentiments, describing Stephen’s book as insightful and thought-provoking. “In this book and in his writings for the Irish Examiner Stephen exhibits one of the greatest facets of journalism: giving a voice to the voiceless.”