New law could criminalise men for buying sex

[John Shaft]

Here's the response of the Immigrant Council of Ireland to the proposed legislation, also from the IT website.
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Group favours new prostitution law
03/01/2011IRISH TIMES REPORTERS

The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) has welcomed a report in today's Irish Times that the Government is considering reforming its approach to combating sex trafficking and the exploitation of women in Ireland's sex industry.

The Government is considering radical new criminal legislation that would shift the Garda’s approach to prostitution by making it illegal for a man to buy sex but not for a woman to sell it.

The legislation would put the Garda’s emphasis on prosecuting male clients rather than targeting women working as prostitutes.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has asked Attorney General Paul Gallagher to examine a report on similar laws introduced in Sweden that target male clients and have halved street prostitution over 10 years.

The Attorney General’s advice is being sought on the legal and constitutional implications of introducing the Swedish-style law here.

ICI chief executive Denise Charlton said the research revealed that about 90 per cent of the women involved in indoor prostitution are migrant women and significant numbers of women and children are being trafficked into Ireland's sex industry.

"The ICI, along with other civil society groups have been campaigning for Ireland to adopt the Swedish approach to combating sex trafficking and the exploitation of women in the sex industry by tackling the crucial link in their exploitation - the demand for paid sex - because that approach clearly works," Ms Charlton said.

"We are very pleased that the Government is seriously considering adopting legislative reform of our prostitution laws because it is clear to us, as an organisation that works with migrant women, that Ireland's current approach just wasn't working to end the exploitation of migrant women in Ireland. We strongly urge the Government to introduce these necessary reforms."

[anitasizzle]

Thanks to author James Joyce it will never happen: James Joyce's Ulysses takes place on the summer day when Leopold Bloom took his fictional stroll through the streets, homes, businesses, and brothels of Dublin more than a century ago, A man paying for sex is glorified every June 16 in Dublin ( Bloomsday) for godsack! It'll never happen

[John Shaft]

"ICI chief executive Denise Charlton said the research revealed that about 90 per cent of the women involved in indoor prostitution are migrant women and significant numbers of women and children are being trafficked into Ireland's sex industry".

This is the key sentence in this article. I would say the 90% figure is more or less accurate if you include British and other EU nationals. However, the supposition is that all migrant escorts are trafficked when everyone here knows that this is not the case. Note how they don't provide any figure for "significant numbers of women". Of course trafficking and forced prostitution is to be condemned but this kind of spindoctoring needs to be challenged. Why do the ICI, Ruhama and other pressure groups find it impossible to admit that many women work as escorts out of free choice?

[carlos marvado]

Thanks to author James Joyce it will never happen: James Joyce's Ulysses takes place on the summer day when Leopold Bloom took his fictional stroll through the streets, homes, businesses, and brothels of Dublin more than a century ago, A man paying for sex is glorified every June 16 in Dublin ( Bloomsday) for godsack! It'll never happen

I would'nt be too sure about that Anita...........this gobshite Minister of Justice introduced a blasphemy law that now makes us the envy of every Islamic state on the planet. Plus you should bear in mind, that James Joyce loved this place so much that he left it.

Mind you, given the number of punters in every constituency, it'll probably cost them a few more seats.

[Rodney69]

The law, if it comes to pass, won't affect the escorts; it's the customers who are being targeted. It is being introduced to close off a perceived loophole in the law and to give greater powers to Gardai. As we know, paying for sex is not actually illegal in Ireland right now, even though most ordinary people probably think that it is.
I wouldn't see huge cause for concern. Even if the law comes in there will still be a strong burden of proof on Gardai. Unless someone is caught handing over money, the Gardai won't have a case that will stand up in court. And they don't have the resources to effectively police it anyway. It will be a bit like possession of small amounts of cannibis - technically illegal but not something the Gardai will be really bothered enforcing. Expect to see nothing more than a handful of token arrests to placate the moral majority and to show that "the new legislation is working".
As long as punters visit trusted and reputable escorts they should be ok and the business of these ladies shouldn't suffer.

It would be interesting to see the statistics for the number of prosecutions in Sweden, Norway and Iceland since the laws were introduced in those countries.

well said John Shaft, you should be called John Swift :-)
As always the focus and reason for this legislation is to target the negative aspect of the business. The trafficking of women by pimps and of course this should not be tolerated. But it assumes all escorts are forced into this business. What about the good, honest, trust worthy independent women.

It will still be very hard for the gardai who are under resourced to police it.

But if the legislation does get passed, I'm sure it will change the behaviour of a lot of clients and make them think twice.

[anitasizzle]

I would'nt be too sure about that Anita...........this gobshite Minister of Justice introduced a blasphemy law that now makes us the envy of every Islamic state on the planet. Plus you should bear in mind, that James Joyce loved this place so much that he left it.

Mind you given the number of punters in every constituency, it'll probably cost them a few more seats.

It won't happen; visiting prostitutes is the nation's unoffical pastitme outside of drinking, too many men would get arrested which would lead to people having a more enlightened attitude towards it, so maybe iits not such a bad thing, but getting to that point is

[carlos marvado]

It won't happen; visiting prostitutes is the nation's unoffical pastitme outside of drinking, too many men would get arrested which would lead to people having a more enlightened attitude towards it, so maybe iits not such a bad thing, but getting to that point is

Indeed, it should be reclassified as one of our national games and handed over to the GAA to run. Instead of that stupid idea to open a gambling mecca in Tipperary, the Croke Park Hotel should be operated as the National Punting Centre of Ireland.................with Micheal O Muircheartaigh brought out of retirement to do the commentary........"and that great stallward of Meath punting, Anon361 is struggling to get into the box......he shoots and scores.......it's come out again........the umpires have'nt raised their flags.......did it go in or not?.....Ber and the rest of the Cork team are remonstrating with Donegal referee Highwayman........his mother was an O'Donnell from Glenties.....a right little goer by all accounts. Lucy Chambers, one of the new players from across the water is now waving her strap-on in the referee's face.......will she or wont she?.......in the heat of battle there's nothing like the distinctive sound of the clash of the rubber......it's as much part of our culture as dingleberries or eating your dinner at lunchtime at the Y on a wet Sunday."

[Markon]

I still don't get how they can prove you paid for anything.
If both parties say no money changed hands

I suspect this is why they're not making it illegal for girls to sell it. I believe you have the right not to incriminate yourself but if what the lady is allegedly doing isn't illegal, she could be called on to testify under oath against her client.

[anitasizzle]

Indeed, it should be reclassified as one of our national games and handed over to the GAA to run. Instead of that stupid idea to open a gambling mecca in Tipperary, the Croke Park Hotel should be operated as the National Punting Centre of Ireland.................with Micheal O Muircheartaigh brought out of retirement to do the commentary........"and that great stallward of Meath punting, Anon361 is struggling to get into the box......he shoots and scores.......it's come out again........the umpires have'nt raised their flags.......did it go in or not?.....Ber and the rest of the Cork team are remonstrating with Donegal referee Highwayman........his mother was an O'Donnell from Glenties.....a right little goer by all accounts. Lucy Chambers, one of the new players from across the water is now waving her strap-on in the referee's face.......will she or wont she?.......in the heat of battle there's nothing like the distinctive sound of the clash of the rubber......it's as much part of our culture as dingleberries or eating your dinner at lunchtime at the Y on a wet Sunday."

Well. Croke Park is only a hop, skip and a jump from where Ireland's original 'Red Light Distrct'
was situated before that evil bishop came in and forced the madames of the day to close up shop. What was the name of the area? It was in D3-the Montoe?...

[espensen]

I love lawmakers. They are so stupid. this has 2 effects.

1) men become more frustrated and so rape.
2) men become more frustrated so commit suicide.

wow, well done lawmakers! Dumb sh1ts.