Conference hears benefits to criminalising purchase of sex

Published: Wednesday, November 04, 2009

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Conference hears benefits to criminalising purchase of sex
05/11/2009 - 09:52:43
A major conference on sex trafficking being held in Dublin this week has heard that the only way to end the exploitation of women is to criminalise the buyers of sex.

International approaches to policing sex trafficking are being discussed at today 's event, which is being held by the Dignity Project.

Sweden, Iceland and Norway have all introduced legislation criminalising the purchase of sex and the Irish Government is being urged to do the same.

"We have a policeman from Stockholm police where, in Sweden, they have introduced legislation 10 years ago where they have criminalised those who purchase sex," said Grainne Healy, project co-ordinator of the Dignity Project.

"They've had great success with this; they've seen a drop in the demand for sexual services and more importantly they have seen a fall in trafficking of women for sexual exploitation into Sweden."

Éilis Fallon
Anti-trafficking Project
Immigrant Council of Ireland
2 St. Andrew Street, Dublin 2
Tel:  (01) 645 8064
Fax: (01) 645 8059
Email: research_intern2@immigrantcouncil.ie
Website: www.immigrantcouncil.ie