Meeting escorts & the law: what is the simple answer

[AZ99]

Well, it helps to look at prosecutions in NI. Prosecutions have been VERY few in number, considering how many men pay for sex.

To my knowledge, there have been three cases of men being prosecuted under the new law.

In the first case, one asshole drove to a petrol station, waved money at a cleaner and gestured for her to perform a sex act. She reported him to the police and he was prosecuted.

In the second case, a different asshole followed a teenage school girl around a town centre before offering her money for sex. Bystanders saw this, didn't like it, and reported him to the police.

In the third case, a group of men who would drive women to places for sex were arrested by the police, and some men involved were arrested for paying for sex.

So basically, don't try to pay cleaners for sex, don't stalk schoolgirls, and don't get involved with any sex trafficking rings.

[michael1983]

Getting serious now around cork city .. I think punters are going to be very appreciative about going to apartments

Can you elaborate? What’s happening in Cork??! Why is apartment better??

[jessicabp]

Can you elaborate? What’s happening in Cork??! Why is apartment better??

Nothing special in Cork. 88 advert there at the moment

[Pally44]

Sorry Mike I meant apprehensive nervous alfter operation quest last week I think alot of punters are going to shy away.. it's freaked me out a little..

[denis01]

Reported on the radio that the Gardai have spoken to 23 individuals suspected of purchasing sex in Dublin, Cork and Waterford as part of operation Quest.

This occurred last Tuesday and Wednesday.

Yeah, they have spoken to some guys, but that doesn't mean prosecutions or arrests. This smacks to me of the Gardai going through the motions, trying to show that they are doing something while not really doing much. You can speak to as many suspected clients as you want, but without proof, there is no arrest and no prosecution, and it is difficult to see how they can get proof.

That said, I imagine it will have something of the desired effect and will deter some guys. They made a point of saying that they will continue in 2020, which is really just trying to make punters think twice. Whether they will actually do much or not, remains to be seen.

https://www.thejournal.ie/gardai-sex...08564-Nov2019/

[brains2burn]

2019 has been the busiest year for the PSNI Trafficking Division since the introduction of the New Law in Northern Ireland, about 8 client arrests and also traffickers/pimps have been arrested.
The PSNI were really doing nothing before this and were very sympathetic to clients but the increased Trafficking, mounting pressure and the dismal record from the law's introduction has changed it somewhat.
The main point here is the clients were in the wrong place and the police are no longer going to be sympathetic if you are found in such places.

We had one Criminal Asian Gang who decided that it would be good idea to open premises just across the road from the Police Station, obviously they owned the apartment and did get away with it for a long time even when it was reported but it does take time. Such devious and evil gangs these are, they come up a plan, putting only one girl in the premises so that it was now not a brothel and not against the law, the Police had no grounds to consider it illegal now, unfortunately however these Gangs did not care for the client's safety and didnt care what the consequences for a client apprehanded with a trafficked girl in the apartment
In the Repuplic there has been approximately 24 clients arrests by the Guards but many others were just questioned and sent on their way,

[Rooster39]

Well, it helps to look at prosecutions in NI. Prosecutions have been VERY few in number, considering how many men pay for sex.

To my knowledge, there have been three cases of men being prosecuted under the new law.

In the first case, one asshole drove to a petrol station, waved money at a cleaner and gestured for her to perform a sex act. She reported him to the police and he was prosecuted.

In the second case, a different asshole followed a teenage school girl around a town centre before offering her money for sex. Bystanders saw this, didn't like it, and reported him to the police.

In the third case, a group of men who would drive women to places for sex were arrested by the police, and some men involved were arrested for paying for sex.

So basically, don't try to pay cleaners for sex, don't stalk schoolgirls, and don't get involved with any sex trafficking rings.

If you look at section 4.33 from the "A REVIEW OF THE CRIMINALISATIONOF PAYING FOR SEXUAL SERVICES IN NORTHERN IRELAND", the comments from the PSNI (including ACC at the time Drew Harris) clearly show that the approach from a policing perspective in NI is only to apply this law in specific circumstances. For numerous reasons it does not look like they have the resources or intent to catch every punter, especially those visiting independent ladies. Possibly in RoI the greater garda resources and additional political pressure may mean the law here may be applied differently.

"ACC Harris and Detective Chief Superintendent McComb emphasised that the focus of the
PSNI is on serious harm and trafficking for sexual exploitation falls into that category. While
the force may pursue prosecutions under Clause 6 these would be part of a major organised
crime or anti-trafficking operation. They would as ACC Harris noted, ‘be prosecutions as an
adjunct or benefit to organised crime group investigations into human trafficking combined
with prostitution… We concentrate on the organised crime groups, and will continue to do that"

"Both officers noted that that the PSNI’s emphasis is entirely on victims and protecting the
vulnerable (ibid., p2) and in terms of prostitution there is a ‘continuum of vulnerability’ (ibid.,
p2). For resource and other reasons, ACC Harris stated that the police will put their energy into
dealing with those prostitution cases that involve threats of harm or serious sexual assault. "

Both police officers pointed to difficulties that the PSNI is likely to experience in gathering
evidence to prosecute offenders under the proposed legislation. It was pointed out that Swedish
police officers have access to wide surveillance powers including video surveillance and
telephone tapping, but as ACC Harris pointed out, a Clause 6 offence is not defined as serious
in law (i.e. an offence that attracts a sentence of more than three years imprisonment) and
consequently the threshold for using covert intelligence gathering would not be met

[brains2burn]

PSNI / Guards will not arrest unless they got some sort of solid evidence, most who were questioned were sent on their way as had nothing solid or anything worth following, these Brothels were under Surveillance for quite some time, sadly clients will come unstuck if the sex workers cooperate with police.

[Redderer]

Odd times out there

[FinnMickC00L]

Nothing special in Cork. 88 advert there at the moment

I am currently in the special city of Cork.
I am a special person.
I wish I was back home in Derry or some other less special southern city.