The Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) wholeheartedly condemns the actions of a group targetting sex workers in Kerry.
Linda Kavanagh, spokesperson for SWAI said “Need we remind people that sex work is supposed to be decriminalised in Ireland? Surveillance of women going to a place of work by an anonymous group is harassment.”
She continues “The reports show no evidence that exploitation is occurring. Self-appointed monitors of migrant women are dangerous. Ask yourself, would you be comfortable with someone sending your image from social media and photos of where you work to strangers? This is stalking behaviour!”
“Brothel-keeping laws are written so broadly that these sex workers could be merely sharing a space to keep costs down and to ensure their safety. These actions can jeopardise real Gardaí investigations and open people up to blackmail. Nothing this group is doing addresses trafficking or exploitation.”
“This behaviour by a vigilante group is a continuation of the harassment sex workers have faced in Ireland in recent years.
April last year saw Geila Ibram, a sex worker in Limerick, killed.”
“It is difficult for us to see that this group feels empowered to contact the Gardaí and politicians while less than 1% of sex workers report crimes against them. How can sex workers feel safe with the occurances? Is it any wonder that sex workers in Ireland feel stigma more sharply than in other countries?
We expect any politicians and organisations concerned with the welfare of women to condemn these actions publicly.”