Trafficking should be addressed as community issue

There are an estimated six people being used in sex slavery in Cork at present, according to a prominent Cork researcher.

David Lohan is compiling research with Cois Tine, the faith based migrant support organisation in Cork, he told the Cork Independent that there are at least six persons living in Cork today as slaves.

“They are most likely women and they are predominantly exploited for sex,” he said.

Mr Lohan, who is currently researching human trafficking in Cork, said that the issue needs to be addressed as a community problem, and not just as something that affects the migrant community.

Cois Tine works primarily with asylum seekers and refugees, particularly those of African origin. The multicultural organisation promotes the integration of people from all communities, cultures and faiths and runs a drop in centre on Pope’s Quay in Cork.

“This is not just something that affects other towns and cities. It is here, in Cork. We need to start looking at it as a community issue,” he said.

“Ireland has been recognised as a destination and gateway to victims in trafficking,” he added.

Mr Lohan has also been working with Ruhama research, the Dublin-based NGO, which works on a national level with women affected by prostitution.

Ruhama recently reported that it had worked with 80 women who were trafficked during 2010.

“One must bear in mind that these are only the victims encountered. The true figure, whatever that may be, can never truly be known and the numbers given here are the absolute minimum,” he said.

Mary Crilly, Director of the Cork Sexual Violence Centre, said a change in legislation was needed to stop the use of women in the sex trade. She said she had worked with victims of trafficking in Cork.

“It destroys these women. It is also the case that the younger the woman is, the more they are wanted for trafficking,” she said.

She said prostitution was never a case of the sale of sex. “A total of 27 per cent of prostitutes are gang raped. A Ms Crilly added that 800,000 women are trafficked through Europe each year.

She said these women are far from recovering and that those who also had to go through the asylum process had extra worries to deal with, on top of their already traumatic experience. “Some of these victims might have to see ten to 12 men a day. It’s such a horrific ordeal for them.”

The Director of the centre said that a change in law was now needed.

“Of all the raids of brothels, there are no convictions for the men that are found in them. What happens these men?

She said she would now be pushing to criminalise the behaviour of men who support brothels.

“As far as society is concerned, these women cease to be human beings and any talk of legalising prostitution, is effectively talking about legalising rape,” she said.