RUHAMA ASSIST 196 WOMEN IN 2009
Published: Sunday, August 22, 2010
22% increase in demands on Ruhama's services...
In its Annual Statistics Report for 2009, published today, Ruhama confirmed that it had assisted 196 women affected by prostitution throughout the year. This
included a significant number of women who had been trafficked into this country for the purposes of sexual exploitation and also shows a 22% increase on 2008 figures (161 women assisted in 2008).
Sarah Benson, CEO of Ruhama said today, "A significant proportion of the women Ruhama worked with through casework in 2009 are victims of sex trafficking and their experience is one of literal enslavement and sexual exploitation by individuals who profit from the misery of women and children. In two cases the women were children at the time of being trafficked. In total we assisted 66 women who had been trafficked during the year, 26 of which were new cases"
In assisting the 26 women involved in the new trafficked cases, Ruhama established that 19 women were destined for Ireland, and 2 each for the UK, Italy and France. Of the 19 women who were destined for Ireland, 11 were located in Dublin, with the remainder at various locations throughout the country. (See full detail in the 2009 Ruhama Statistics report at www.ruhama.ie )
In commenting on the report Sarah Benson said, "The reality is that the impacts of prostitution on all women involved in prostitution, trafficked or not, are exceptionally similar. Women in 2009 reported horrific levels of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. The reporting of rape and sexual assault was almost universal, many women also experienced sexual abuse as children and young women; some were groomed by family members and partners into prostitution. Women reported having been punched in the face, the stomach, being kicked down stairs, beaten for refusing to have sex with men, being locked in and refused food, being burned, being bitten. Women were told by buyers that they were "ugly", "not very good", that they "should at least try to look like you're enjoying it" while their bodies are used in whatever way the buyer wishes.
During the year Ruhama worked with 59 women through its outreach initiative and 137 women through its more intensive casework service.
Sarah Benson also spoke today about the funding challenges facing Ruhama, she said, "Of deep concern to us at present is the reality that Ruhama's funding has come under serious pressure through significant cuts, up to 20%, from our statutory funders in 2010 and the increasing challenge of fundraising in the current climate as we strive to continue to meet the needs of a highly vulnerable, socially marginalized group. Given the scale of abuse experienced by women affected by prostitution and the degree of trauma and harm sustained, the work Ruhama does with women can be slow as trust, healing, self-esteem, well being and positive hope for the future are gradually fostered".
Diarmuid O Corrbui, Chairperson of Ruhama said today, "Yet again in 2009 we were able to assist 196 women who were affected by prostitution, a large percentage of whom were trafficked into this country for the purposes of sexual exploitation. We want to be able to continue to support these women and develop our services, but we are seriously restricted by the funding available to us. We ask people out there who may wish to help, to visit our website and make a contribution. We will also be continuing to attempt to have our official funding increased, as it's not possible to do the work that needs to be done, without increased funding".
Ends
For Contact: Sarah Benson, CEO, 086-6003115
Gerardine Rowley, Policy and Communications Manager 086-2591247
Young Communications, 087-2471520
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Case Study One - for release with 2009 statistics
Beatrise (Not real name)
Note: this case study is a composite of actual experiences disclosed to Ruhama by women and is presented as such, with key identifying details changed in order to preserve the confidentiality and also the safety of the women involved.
"I am Beatrise. I come from a small town in the east of Latvia. I lived there with my mother and two younger sisters and it was a very difficult life because my mother suffered from illness and there were not very many ways to earn money. I felt very responsible for my family and used to do cleaning and waitressing and any other jobs I could find to try to support them.
A cousin of mine introduced me to a friend of his called Georgs who said that he could arrange a job for me in Ireland working as a nanny for Irish children. He said I would be able to live with the family and also study English language and the money was good enough that I could live well and send plenty home. It sounded too good to be true. It was.
I left Latvia with Georgs and we arrived in Dublin in 2008. I was so full of hope and excited to meet the family I would be working for. We met an Irish man at the airport and drove in a van to a flat somewhere. When we got there Georgs said that I had to pay back all the money I owed for my transport here. I said I thought that I could do that from my wages as a nanny and he laughed. Then all of a sudden he punched me in the stomach and when I bent over with no breath the Irish man grabbed me and they both raped me. It was so painful and my head was swimming. When they finished the Irish man took my papers and said that there were other ways I would be paying back the money I owed. Georgs said that I should just do as I was told as otherwise he would make sure my mother and sisters would be hurt. He said that the police knew them and that no-one would believe anything I said here. I spoke hardly any English and didn't even really know where I was - I felt so sick and trapped.
There were three other girls in the apartment and we had to share rooms. The Irish man said that the other girls would be watching me and would tell him if I did anything wrong. I believe now that he said the same thing to all of them too but at the time I felt I couldn't trust anyone so I didn't really speak with them. I just turned in on myself and tried to get through one day and one day at a time.
Men came to the apartment and I was told to let them have sex with me. Any time my mobile phone rang no matter whether I was asleep or eating I had to go to the bedroom and wait. It became like an electric shock: every time it rang my whole body would shudder. Some of the men were very rough. Some would get cross and say things like "you could at least pretend to enjoy yourself". Sometimes they would make me do things that really hurt, or would not wear a condom. They would say that had "paid extra" but I never knew: I had no control over what happened. I became numb.
One night the police came, the Gardai, they took me out of the apartment and one of the Gardai saw that I was very distressed and they made a phone call to Ruhama.
I found myself in Ruhama's safe accommodation. I met women who gave me normal clothes to wear and fed me and gave me a room to wash and to rest. They said that I was safe and that they were there to talk if I wanted but I just slept. I couldn't speak and, although at first I did not know if I was safe there I did feel begin to feel a bit safer.
From there things changed and became much better for me. I met a caseworker in Ruhama and she talked with me about what Ruhama was and how they could help. They didn't push me. The Gardai wanted to talk with me and my caseworker came with me as I was so worried and scared but they really wanted to find Georgs and the Irish man for what they had done to me and the other girls. Ruhama also found me a counsellor to talk with and I gradually began to tell about what has happened to me. They helped me contact my family. It was such a relief to know that they were safe and well. I cried and cried.
It has been some months now and I am feeling greater trust, mainly because of Ruhama. It meant so much to me to be believed when I did start to tell. It took time but I realized that there was help there from people who didn't want anything from me in return. I have been so betrayed and hurt but am starting now to feel like a human being once again. It is slow but at least I can now see past today, I am doing classes and starting to set some goals and see a future for myself."
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Case Study Two - for release with 2009 statistics
Yvonne (Not real name)
Note: this case study is a composite of actual experiences disclosed to Ruhama by women and is presented as such, with key identifying details changed in order to preserve the confidentiality and also the safety of the women involved.
"My name is Yvonne. I was involved in prostitution for 6 years. It has been a long journey to get to where I am now but still so much of what has happened to me is right there almost every time I close my eyes. It does get easier though as I try to put distance between my past and my present.
I had a difficult time as a child and teenager. There were a lot of problems in my family - we were never very close or together. There was a lot of drama. When I was fourteen I was sexually abused by a male family member and when I told I wasn't believed. The abuse kept happening I couldn't think where to turn to and I just ran away at fifteen. For a bit I stayed in friends houses but that couldn't last so I did end up on the streets and in the hostels, which was sometimes really frightening. I met a guy when I was 16 and moved in with him. He was a few years older than me and I thought he was amazing. He told me he loved me and that he would take care of me.
At first it seemed great, I played house and he got the dole and did a bit of work. Gradually though he began complaining about having to pay for me and asking what I was going to do to pay for myself. He kept on pressuring me, and then began threatening to throw me out of the house if I didn't make some money so in the end I found myself on the streets selling myself with him supposedly keeping an eye on the punters to make sure I was "alright". I was fairly naïve and really thought that he was caring for me but he really just took nearly all the money I made from strangers having sex with me and kept pushing me out there. He didn't even bother working himself anymore. He also started treating me a lot worse -calling me names like some of the punters did: "slag", "slut". Sex with him became just like with the men on the street because he really didn't think he needed my consent anymore - as far as he was concerned I didn't have any right to say no because I was selling it anyway. It made me feel like I was nothing - just there for other people to use.
I started drinking a lot more to deal with how I was living. My boyfriend used some drugs and gradually I fell into using those instead of the drink as it worked better to keep me disconnected from the horrible reality of prostitution and the pain of my life in general. That became a vicious circle though as the more dependent I became the more I needed money to get the drugs. The result anyway was that I stayed out on the streets - I couldn't see any alternative. It took my nearly being killed to wake me up to what my life had become and start looking for some way to get out of my situation. I had been beaten and robbed and raped over the years but the end came for me when a guy threw me into the back of his van and tied me up and took me up the mountains and raped me. I was so certain that I was going to die. I managed to get away but when I got home my boyfriend just didn't care what had happened to me. He hit me because I came home with no money, he made me go back out again even though my face was bruised and bleeding - he hadn't even noticed I was missing.
I had seen the Ruhama van on the streets but hadn't really paid it much attention before. I felt really alone though and didn't know how to get out of what I was stuck in. Next time I went out I got into the van and found out that Ruhama could offer support.
I finally went into the Ruhama offices and I met my caseworker who talked with me about what I would like for my life. She helped get me into a drugs programme. She also supported me in getting into temporary accommodation because I couldn't stay anymore with my boyfriend and eventually when I was straightened out I was able to get a little flat of my own from the council. Once things were a bit more settled I started doing classes in computers and a personal development programme that helped me feel more assertive and positive about what I might be able to do. I got involved in an initiative through Ruhama where I was able to get a job placement that turned into an actual job in a store. I also was given a counsellor who's still helping me deal with the impact of everything that has happened to me.
I still feel so much shame and sadness for those years. One of the worst things is that, no matter what I do in my "new" life I feel like I have to lie about my past. How do I explain those lost years? But on the other hand the little money I earn now in my job feels proper; like "clean" money. When it was through prostitution I used to feel like I had to spend money as fast as I got it because it made me feel filthy inside and worthless, but now the money I have I need to use really carefully to get by but I value it so much more. I also value myself so much more and that is the greatest thing."