It’s time for Ireland to turn off the red light

The country owes it to the victims to bring in laws that crminalise those who buy sex and traffic in women rather than the people they exploit, says Lauren Hersh

IRYNA, a college student, was 18 when she was lured into the sex trade in New York City by her “boyfriend”, who promised to love her and care for her. Instead he beat her, repeatedly raped her and sold her into prostitution.

But Iryna’s trafficker was not the only one who caused her significant harm. Sex buyers, who also viciously abused her physically, sexually and emotionally, made the selling of Iryna a very lucrative business for her trafficker.