Irish Examiner view: Sex work is hardly ever about choice

Scourge of prostitution

The chilling reality of the life of a female sex worker is revealed in a new study that exposes the harsh and dangerous world of prostitution in Ireland. Picture: Lewis Whyld/PA

Anyone who still harbours the illusion that sex work is a relatively harmless lifestyle choice should note the words of Mia de Faoite, a former prostitute, activist, and the Beyond Exploitation campaign coordinator with the National Women’s Council of Ireland.

“For six years, I was sexually exploited by strangers. In six years, I was bought approximately 4,000 times.”