Turn off the lights on prostitution

Anyone shocked by the storylines of RTE’s Love/Hate has an opportunity to channel their anger to deliver a real blow against the pimps, traffickers and organised criminals bringing human rights abuses into our communities in real life.

In the next two weeks politicians on the Oireachtas Justice Committee will begin hearings on our outdated prostitution laws and examine if exploitation, abuse and trafficking can be ended by targeting those who purchase sex.

The fact the Criminal Assets Bureau estimates the so-called ‘trade’ generates up to €250m a year for those behind it shows our laws do not work. This will come as no surprise to the many people who have discovered a brothel is operating in their apartment block, housing estate or street.

We are one of 62 organisations which form the Turn Off the Red Light Campaign which wants the law changed. We represent nurses, doctors, young farmers, survivors of prostitution, public servants and many others. In the three years we have been campaigning 29 children have been sex trafficked in Ireland, a fact which alone demands action.

If it makes you angry, join us at www.turnofftheredlight.ie/action and together lets Turn Off the Red Light.

Helena Clarke

Director Of Public Affairs

The Integration Centre

Dublin 1