More women seeking Ruhama’s aid

The country’s support service for women in prostitution has recorded an 18% increase in the number of people accessing its services.

Last year Ruhama assisted 200 women from 36 countries. Ninety-one of these were the suspected victims of human trafficking and 22 were new cases. They also helped another 41 women through their street outreach work.

Ruhama chairwoman Valerie Judge said: “There is no other service in Ireland to assist women in the often complex process of exiting from prostitution, despite the reality that up to and over 90% of those in prostitution wish to get out.