SEX TRAFFIC LAW MUST BE CHANGED
Victims ‘should not need to give evidence’
A LAW targeting traffickers, pimps and buyers must be changed to stop sex trade victims having to testify, it was claimed last night.
The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act makes those controlling and using prostitutes criminals but a source warned that often frightened women must speak out to bring a prosecution.
It is understood gardai have launched several operations targeting the vile trade but the one-year-old legislation has hindered their efforts. The source said: “Most of the people operating the big rings in Ireland are foreign gangs coming into the country.
“Intelligence-led operations put together raids on their brothels in rented apartments or even rented houses – paid for, in general, in cash.
“When these properties are raided the women, mostly, found in there almost always declare themselves as being sex trafficked to Ireland.”
Ruhama, which supports those affected by prostitution and trafficking, estimates that every day about 800 women work indoors in prostitution with less than 200 selling sex on the streets.
However, the source said the problem with the new laws is that women “need to be willing to give evidence”.
They explained: “The Act itself is modelled on the Norwegian model.
“The biggest issue of all is the burden of proof is so strong in Ireland the Norwegian methods are unachievable here. “In Norway it is simple enough for an officer to go into court and essentially give belief evidence and that will be enough.
“Here it needs to be evidentially proven and the burden of proof is far more robust.
“It is not a matter of just bringing the people to court – they have a right to refuse to give a statement. They cannot be forced to do it here in Ireland.
“The other issue is that these women are at times petrified of the people who trafficked them.
“In some cases threats have been made to their families and to themselves. They have no passports and don’t trust anyone – they just want to go home.”
Rachel Moran, who worked in prostitution and is the founder of SPACE International which supports survivors, said: “What gardai need to do is target buyers and gather evidence on pimps that does not rely on evidence from victims.”