Dail Debate 03/05/2013

[The Equalizer]

Please have a read of the following

(Link: http://www.thomaspringle.ie/?p=2072)

From The Report
Comment

Thomas Pringle TD has today announced that his Bill, The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2013, has been selected to be debated in the Dáil next month.

The Bill, which was selected in a lottery to be debated as a Private Members’ Bill in the Dáil on Friday 3rd May, makes provision for the criminalisation of the purchase of sexual services in line with Swedish legislation in order to cut the demand for sexual services and to decriminalise the sellers of these services.

Selected in a lottery? It has been outlined on countless occasions (by both members of the EI Community [Escorts and Clients alike] as well as persons not in any way connected with the EI Community or Sex Industry) that Swedish-style Legislation will not “cut demand for Sexual Services” in any way, and it certainly won’t protect Independent Sex Workers in any way (quite the opposite in fact).

and will therefore create a situation that will remove the attractiveness of prostitution and trafficking from organised criminal elements by creating the risk for purchasers of sexual services to be prosecuted with the element of “name and shame” acting as a deterrent.

Legislation (of any description) does not apply to criminal elements, as we are all well aware. In addition, “naming and shaming” (which I assume is aimed at Clients of Independent Sex Workers) will cause harm to not only Clients, but also to their families and others whom may be financially dependent on them (I have outlined this elsewhere on the EI Website). Persons responsible for introduction of such Legislation need to consider the ramifications of such Legislation.

I strongly believe that prostitution is incompatible with contemporary values and that it is a serious social problem, which can and should be abolished.

Personal opinions have no place in consideration for consideration and/or introduction of Legislation of any nature (especially Legislation which has huge potential to impact negatively upon persons it “supposedly” protects [not only does said Legislation impact negatively upon those whom it supposedly serves to protect, but will also impact upon their families]).

In reality, very few women choose to willingly engage in prostitution, with most who are involved having very few real choices.

Men and Transgenders account for a significant proportion of the Sex Industry (in Ireland and internationally).

This issue must be addressed – we must decriminalise the victims in this trade and give them the option of rehabilitation.

Of the girls I have met through EI, I have yet to meet a “victim”. In addition to the above comment by Deputy Pringle, “rehabilitation” for Independent Sex Workers in Ireland (ie Ruhama) creates unparalleled misery for persons they are supposedly serving to “protect”.

“I have worked closely throughout this process with the Turn off the Red Light Campaign and the Immigrant Council of Ireland on this Bill, and I look forward to a constructive debate on this issue in the Dáil in 2 weeks’ time.

Pringle has failed to conduct research which lends to an either fair or constructive debate. During whatever research Pringle conducted, he has only heard form and collaborated with the pro-Criminalization side of the debate.