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."