Tipperary’s local authorities urged to pledge support for laws targeting the buyers of sex

Forty newly elected Councillors and MEPs must show leadership to combat crime associated with prostitution in local communities, according to Ascend Domestic Abuse Service.

Ascend Domestic Abuse Service, one of the 70 Irish organisations which make up the Turn Off the Red Light Campaign to combat trafficking, exploitation and abuse, is asking Tipperary’s local authorities to pledge support for laws targeting the buyers of sex.

It also wants Ireland South MEP’s to follow up on a European Parliament vote earlier this year which favoured such laws.

Rabiya Ali, Coordinator of Ascend Domestic Abuse Service added:

“The campaign to end the exploitation and abuse of women and girls by targeting demand has secured huge public and political support across Ireland, including Tipperary.

Trade unionists, doctors, nurses, survivors of prostitution, children’s rights campaigners, business leaders and many more have added their voices as well as thousands of individuals who have used our web page www.turnofftheredlight.ie/action to email their TDs and Senators.

We are now approaching the second anniversary of the Government Review on the Laws on Prostitution and the first anniversary since the Oireachtas Justice Committee unanimously backed sex buyer laws.

Together with other campaigners we believe that newly elected councillors and MEPS now have a role to play to increase the pressure on the Government to bring in robust laws to end these crimes.

Before the recent elections 29 County, City and Town Councils passed motions of support, including Dun Laoighaire/Rathdown and as a result kept this issue on the political agenda – now it is time to build on that support.”

Nusha Yonkova, Anti Trafficking Co-ordinator with the Immigrant Council added:

“After two years of debate we cannot afford any further delay. While our TDs and Senators have been talking Ireland’s pimps and traffickers have continued their crimes unabated.

It is estimated they take between €180m-€250m out of our communities each year by forcing women and girls to have sex with up to a dozen men a day in brothels right across Dublin, and every county.

The time to act has arrived, and we are counting on our newly elected representatives to play their part.”