Serious concerns for 'vulnerable' women in Co Kildare brothels
by Louise McCarthy & Rose Barrett O'Donoghue
Sources confirm that sex trafficking is rampant in Co Kildare following a vicious attack on a man by pimps in Newbridge town, just days before Christmas.
Online websites are now showing women selling sex throughout addresses in Co Kildare with the majority in the Newbridge area. Business people in the Newbridge area are deeply concerned for the welfare of the women who are being used for sex in the area.
The business owners have voiced their anger at the prostitution racket they believe to be housed on one particular Newbridge street. One retailer stated: “There have been women coming and going from that premises for the past six months with men constantly coming in and asking for the address. On Mondays, the girls change over. Anyone who calls here looking for the 'business' already has an appointment by phone, and this is not the only 'knocking shop' in Newbridge"
CEO of Ruhama, Sarah Benson, is deeply concerned that trafficking is now a major issue throughout the country.
Ms Benson is concerned that policing trafficking is very difficult as the women are regularly being moved around. Ruhama is working closely with the Gardaí in a bid to prosecute the organisers of trafficking and not the women, who are victims.
Ms Benson said: "The human cost is huge, this is entirely driven by a demand for sex. These women are very vulnerable, they may have debts, many come from poverty, they are offered an opportunity. It is an exploitation of people's hope."
In 2015, a Ruhama report revealed that assistance was given in Ireland to women from 53 different countries, including Eastern Europe, South America and Africa.
Ms Benson said: "Traffickers are very clever. Women can be left without travel documents, they may be left send some money home, so nobody at home gets suspicious. They make it difficult to prove that the woman is being trafficked. These women are very vulnerable, they are often being groomed."
Ruhama offers outreach and crisis intervention to person-centred case work, development programmes and resettlement assistance.
Set up in 1989, the Dublin based centre, recognises that for many women, exiting prostitution is not a once off event but can take months or years. Long term support services are offered to women to help them take the first steps out of prostitution towards recovery from sex trafficking, but also to ensure they do not find themselves vulnerable and at risk of re-trafficking.
Ruhama supports a legislative framework that would decriminalise those in prostitution as vulnerable persons, but criminalise activities related to organising prostitution and fuelling demand.
Ms Benson said: " Gardaí should not target the individual for prostitution and unfortunately this has has happened occasionally. The priority needs to be targeting organised traffickers, not to target the women themselves."
In December 2015, an undercover RTE report claimed a large prostitution ring operating in Ireland had links to Newbridge.
The RTE Investigates programme 'Sex For Sale' said that up to 40 women were working every week across the country for the criminal network.
But it claimed that Newbridge was one of more than 20 towns where RTE said the gang operates a string of brothels - sometimes in rented houses.
The prostitutes advertise online and charge around €50 for 30 minutes of sex services.
The programme claimed that the women are regularly moved around from brothel to brothel in an organised way by a fleet of cars.
According to Ms Benson, some women think they are in the UK, when rescued.