Press Releases
Groundbreaking Legal Opinion Finds Government Bill Harmful for Sex Workers 04_10_2016
Groundbreaking Legal Opinion Finds Government Bill, “likely to violate the human rights of sex workers” Today 4th October SWAI (Sex Workers Alliance Ireland) release a pivotal legal opinion by Senior Counsel Michael Lynn B.L. on Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 which deals with sex work. The Bill is scheduled for...
Sex Worker's Legal Challenge granted leave in High Court in Northern Ireland 28_09_2016
Sex Worker's Legal Challenge granted leave in High Court in Northern Ireland Sex Workers Alliance Ireland welcomes the judgement today Wednesday September 28th, in the Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast, to allow sex worker Laura Lee to proceed with her Judicial Review challenge of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act (Criminal Justice and Support for...
U.K. Parliamentary Committee Recommends Decriminalisation of Sex Workers 1st July 2016
U.K. Parliamentary Committee Recommends Decriminalisation of Sex Work Today Friday July 1st, SWAI welcomes the Home Affairs Committee recommendation that soliciting by sex workers, and sex workers sharing premises, should be decriminalised in England and Wales. Kate McGrew, SWAI Coordinator said, ‘We congratulate the Home Affairs Committee on its acknowledgement of the importance of worker...
Sex Workers in Ireland speak out on International Sex Workers Day - 2nd June 2016
Today, June 2nd, on International Sex Workers Day, sex workers in Ireland speak out on social media about their lives and work. Aoife, Sex Worker, said, "Failure to listen to our needs and experiences results in bad laws that do more harm than good and puts us at risk of more violence and abuse. Sex...
New Research shows Irish laws detrimental to Safety and Rights of Sex Workers
SWAI today, May 26th, welcomes the release of Amnesty International’s Global Policy on Sex Work and groundbreaking research into the impact of criminal laws on sex workers’ rights. Amnesty International’s Global Policy asserts that the decriminalisation of prostitution is the only way to ensure the rights and safety of the most marginalised people in sex...
Sex Worker Rights Campaigner Laura Lee takes Legal Challenge to High Court in Northern Ireland
SWAI Ireland travel today, Friday February 19th, to stand in support with sex worker Laure Lee as she brings a legal challenge to the High Court in Belfast. Lee’s legal team will argue that the recent law passed in Northern Ireland that criminalises the purchase of sex is an infringement on her human rights, her...
Sex Workers could be jailed for working together for safety under new Bill
Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) is shocked by Government moves to further increase prison terms for sex workers caught working indoors for safety and those working on the street. Speaking today from the Fine Gael Ard Fheis, Kate Mc Grew, SWAI Co-ordinator said, “Our Government keep telling us they want to protect the most vulnerable...
Statement On The Death Of Galina Sandeva
We at SWAI send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Galina Sandeva, a 28 year old Bulgarian woman working as a sex worker in Oslo. She was found brutally murdered yesterday alone in a carpark, on the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. We find it significant to mention that...
Sex workers and supporters hold vigil at Dail to mark International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers
Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) call on Minister for Justice not to introduce laws criminalising the purchase of sex. Today (December 17th) sex workers and supporters will hold candlelit vigils outside Leinster House in Dublin at 6pm and outside City Hall, Belfast at 7pm to mark International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers. Although...
Amnesty Ireland calls on Minister for Justice to stop the criminalisation of buyers
Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) welcomes Amnesty Ireland’s submission to the Department of Justice and Equality calling on the Minister for Justice and Equality to remove Section 20 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015. Section 20 proposes to criminalise the purchase of sexual services in Ireland. Amnesty’s submission outlines the serious human...
