Legislation ‘the only way’ to end prostitution

Awareness campaigns to fight prostitution don’t work and only legislation outlawing the buying of sex and the resultant naming of offenders will help in the fight against prostitution.

Denise Charlton, chief executive of the Immigration Council of Ireland, wants urgent action to combat pimping online, where last week alone, she said the council found 1,027 women, including young girls, being offered on Irish sites.

If there were no buyers, she said, there would be no market, and legislation must be enacted to criminalise the buying of sex.