Amnesty prostitution vote rebuked

Two high-profile organisations that support victims of sexual violence have condemned Amnesty International for voting in favour of decriminalising prostitution, and one has cancelled its membership of the human rights body.

The Sexual Violence Centre in Cork has withdrawn its support from Amnesty following a decision by director Mary Crilly to email the organisation yesterday cancelling its membership.

Ms Crilly’s criticism of the Amnesty move was echoed by Dublin Rape Crisis Centre chief executive Ellen O’Malley Dunlop, who said it “goes against everything Amnesty ever stood for”.