Senators urged to back sex-crime laws and tackle trafficking

Senators are being urged to give their backing to new sex crime laws.

A debate on the issue will be held in the Seanad today and could see the purchase of sex criminalised in the lifetime of this Government.

The measures are being backed by the Immigrant Council of Ireland which says many refugees find themselves being forced into prostitution.

Spokesperson Denise Charlton (pictured below) said Senators had a chance today to change lives.

"Traffickers prey on those who are vulnerable, and within the (current) humanitarian crisis, people are fleeing for their lives," she said.

"We now know anecdotally that (refugees) are prey for traffickers and pimps. Senators will have a chance to bring in legislation that can really tackle that."