29/05/2015

NI Sex Buyer Laws Will Make Southern Border More Attractive For Pimps

Sex buyer laws which come into force in Northern Ireland this weekend, 01 June, will make southern border counties and Dublin more attractive for pimps, traffickers and thugs, according to the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

The Council has joined representatives of the 72 organisations which make up the Turn Off the Red Light Campaign at a rally at Leinster House to demand the immediate publication of similar laws in Ireland.

The campaigning groups have been joined by survivors of prostitution as well as political representatives from both Government and Opposition in making their call.

Denise Charlton, Anti-Trafficking Consultant with the Immigrant Council of Ireland said: "The Northern Ireland laws which will come into force on Monday will be a push factor. There is no doubt that sex buyers will make the short journey over the border in order to escape the law and the pimps and traffickers will follow.

"We need an all-island approach if we are to remove this modern day scourge from our communities.

"As members of the Turn Off the Red Light campaign we welcome the commitments the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald, TD has made in this area, but would now like to see her promised legislation published and progressed through the Oireachtas."

(CD)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

23 April 2014
Consultation Expected On Breastfeeding Law
A public consultation is to be held on a proposed new law giving mothers the right to breastfeed in public.
29 January 2024
The Ultimate Guide To Bingo Halls In Northern Ireland
Bingo, a game that has been a staple in Northern Ireland's entertainment scene for decades, continues to capture the hearts of enthusiasts across the region. In recent years, there has been a notable rise in bingo hall attendances, and some attribute this surge to the growing popularity and accessibility of bingo sites.
19 February 2020
'Time To Stop Gambling With Lives'
The Alliance Party has thrown its weight behind a charity campaign to restrict gambling abuse across Northern Ireland. Gambling With Lives is seeking updates to legislation to better restrict betting and gambling in the hope of preventing more deaths by those who grow addicted.
26 February 2019
NI Abortion Protests Staged At Westminster
Campaign groups, both for and against abortion reform in Northern Ireland, have staged protests outside Parliament in London. The events on Tuesday 26 February were organised by Amnesty International and Both Lives Matter.
03 August 2011
NI Sham Marriage Pair Charged
A 'bride and groom' arrested as they prepared to take their wedding vows in Co Armagh have been charged with immigration offences.