Christian social policy charity CARE has called upon Northern Ireland to “set the agenda” on sexual exploitation by banning websites that pimp women for prostitution.
The intervention follows the publication of a report by the Northern Ireland Assembly All-Party Group on Modern Slavery and Commercial Sexual Exploitation. According to report, the days of shady street corners and questionable ads in newspapers and telephone boxes have largely been superseded by online facilitation.
Whatever the method, the risks to the women involved remain the same.
One survivor told the report, “You have the websites, but they bring the people from online actively looking for girls, our customer base knew that we were either being drugged before the appointment so that we were completely incoherent, you could not say no, your body is paralysed, that’s not said online.”
The report recommended greater cross-border cooperation with the Republic of Ireland, the introduction of Sex Trafficking Risk Orders and an amendment to the Online Safety Act that would effectively ban prostitution websites across Britain.
The report also called for greater police training and an updated and fully funded Department of Health strategy aimed at helping people leave prostitution.
Caroline Ansell, former Conservative MP and Director of Advocacy at CARE, said, “The Executive at Stormont and the UK Government have their new strategies to combat violence against women and girls. Surely this Inquiry and its report make it crystal clear that one of the most obvious forms of violence is commercial sexual exploitation."
She added, “By taking the recommendations of this report seriously, both the Executive and the UK government would send a very powerful signal that they are committed to action and not just rhetoric.
“We are deeply grateful to all the MLAs on the APG and all those who took the time to respond to the Inquiry. This report must be a catalyst for lasting change.”
