blog – Page 4 – Sex Workers Alliance Ireland

Press statement: Demand for sex work has not decreased in Northern Ireland

September 18, 2019

Client criminalisation is not fit for purpose, has has been met with an increase in sex trafficking and is actively harmed the mental health of sex workers in Northern Ireland, according to a new report from the Department of Justice.

Kate McGrew, current sex worker and spokesperson for the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) said today “This report commissioned by the Department of Justice shows that there has not been a decrease in demand for sex work since the introduction of client criminalisation (also known as the Nordic Model) in Northern Ireland in 2015. Instead, we have seen an increase in sex trafficking by 26% and the health of sex workers put at risk.”

She continues “Sex workers in Ireland tend to work both jurisdictions so a lot of the findings in this report will be applicable to the Republic of Ireland. If the purpose of the law was to decrease demand it has failed. If the purpose of the law was to help sex workers it has failed. In the north, it led to massive increase in advertising (on one site alone over 1700 new ads) and demand (in one jurisdiction by 134%) and a 200% increase threatening behaviour in clients. In the south, it led to an increase of violent crime against sex workers by 92% The law is a failure on the entire island of Ireland.

Northern Ireland was the only region that introduced the Nordic Model that also conducted baseline research so this research must be taken very seriously.

Sex worker rights activists fought for the liaison officers to remain in public protection, not enforcement. This has resulted in sex workers in Northern Ireland are very appreciative of the work that the PSNI liaison officers do. The PSNI were vocal about their opposition to the law. They knew it would make their work more difficult, and that is reflected in their policing. Gardaí have an increasingly antagonistic approach to sex workers since the change in the law in 1993. Policing consensual sex work does not reduce trafficking and is a waste of resources.

The law has put the mental health of sex workers at risk by causing an increase in threatening behaviour. This was predicted by sex workers, who were ignored during the process of introducing the laws. Susan Huschke’s research showed clear on the opposition from sex workers (98% were against the change in law). The law has increased our marginalisation and stigmatisation. We deserve better than this.

We want full decriminalisation of sex work on the island of Ireland so that we are safe, healthy and have laws that protect us.

Press release: Serial rapist is handed 20-year sentence for targeting Czech sex workers with help of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland

July 31, 2019

We all expect laws to keep us safe, but the laws around sex work make Ireland more dangerous.

Kate McGrew, director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) and current sex worker says, “SWAI are happy to hear the news that a serial rapist was handed a 20-year prison sentence today. This man systematically targeted migrant sex workers in the wake of the change in the law around sex work in 2017.

SWAI was the initial contact by the sex workers involved in this serial rapist, who was targetting Czech sex workers. We helped the workers to report the rapist to Garda and supported them throughout the trial. As a front-line organisation, which is the only sex worker-led organisation in Ireland, many sex workers turn to SWAI to support them, when they are a victim of a crime.”

She continues “It is very difficult for victims of rape to get justice through the criminal justice and have their rapist convicted. It is even more so for sex workers, who are often reluctant to go to the police to report sexual violence. Sex workers fear they will not be taken seriously because of their job. Since the introduction of client criminalisation or the “Nordic Model”, less than 1% of sex workers report crime to the Gardaí according to Ugly Mugs, a safety screening app for sex workers to report dangerous clients.

Today is a success, as sex workers were able to get justice, despite the fact that they have very little trust in Gardai. In the last two years of client criminalisation, there has been a 98% increase in violent crimes against sex workers.

We in SWAI warned that this increase in violence would happen in the wake of the introduction of client criminalisation. The voices of current sex workers and their allies were ignored when this law was introduced.

Policymakers and misinformed politicians need to listen to SWAI and current sex workers during next year’s review of the law in 2020. There is an epidemic of violence against sex workers made much worse by client criminalisation. The conviction today was an exception, rather than the rule, when it comes to sex workers finding justice.

We want to thank the women for coming forward despite a climate that does not encourage them to do so. The streets are safer thanks to these sex worker’s bravery. As always we are here for any sex worker who needs us, regardless of circumstance. Please call us on 085 824 9305.”

#DecrimforSafety #SupportSafeSexWork.

Press release: Sex workers could be allies in sex trafficking if we were allowed

July 30, 2019

Today is World Day against Trafficking in Persons and we call on the government and the Gardaí to stop conflating consensual sex work and trafficking so that resources could be used where they are needed most: prevention of trafficking.

Kate Mc Grew, director of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) and current sex worker said “Client criminalisation, also known as the Nordic Model, was introduced in Ireland in 2017 to protect vulnerable people in sex work, but instead, the most vulnerable sex workers are more at risk of violence and exploitation. Criminalisation of any aspect of sex work drives sex work underground which means more difficulty finding those vulnerable to exploitation, including trafficking victims.”

She continued “The Nordic Model has been in effect in Northern Ireland since 2015 and it has not reduced the amount of trafficking in Northern Ireland. In fact, trafficked victims are prosecuted there.

Migrants are overwhelmingly the targets of brothel raids. Anti-trafficking laws are often used as a tool of immigration instead of care and refuge. The reality is that in Ireland many more sex workers have been arrested than clients. Workers are often asked to leave the country or face prosecution. This flies in the face of the care and the rights-based approach that the state is supposed to show.

The state’s anti-trafficking endeavours focus overwhelmingly on criminalisation and “awareness-raising” of sex trafficking. Very little attention is paid to the larger problem of labour trafficking in Ireland. This is not to minimise the very serious crime of sex trafficking. Decriminalisation of sex work would not mean that sex trafficking would become legal.

Prevention of trafficking is better than criminalisation. If we want to help the most vulnerable in sex work leave, we need to have safety nets in place, such as access to housing, childcare, healthcare or anything that alleviates why the person entered sex work in the first place.

Sex workers are the best people placed to aid in the fight against sex trafficking. Sex workers want to be allies, and we are best placed to do so. But the law does not respond to the circumstances of deep poverty, domestic violence, homelessness, and drug mis-use that lead some to becoming susceptible to trafficking.”

Decrim for Safety

Press release: Jailing a pregnant, migrant sex worker yesterday shows we have not moved away from our dark past

June 8, 2019

Kate McGrew, current sex worker and director of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI), said “The Sex Workers Alliance are horrified to learn of the jailing of two sex workers at Naas District Court yesterday, one of whom is pregnant, less than one week after International Sex Workers Day. The facts of this case show the 2017 Sexual Offences Law is not fit for purpose. There were no clients present, very little money and no evidence of the workers being coerced in to their job.”

She continued “The change in law in 2017 was heralded as a law that would protect sex workers. But we at SWAI cannot understand how jailing two young migrant women will protect or rescue them in any way. Their crime, for working together for safety, is not a violent crime and there are no victims.

“Prior to the change in law in 2017 the maximum sentence for so-called brothel keeping was 6 months. When misinformed politicians and policymakers speak about how the law has decriminalised workers they completely ignore that sex workers working together for safety risk increased penalties. We repeat: the Nordic Model does not decriminalise sex workers. This is not justice gone wrong, this is how the law was designed to work.

“Even those who support the law cannot support the prosecution of two women under these laws. We in SWAI feel this is an egregious waste of Garda time and resources. These are two women working together, whose apartment was put under surveillance by the Gardai.

“When we fought last year to repeal the 8th amendment we spoke of care and compassion for those who are pregnant. Are we really ready to stand over the jailing of a young pregnant migrant who was working together with another woman for safety? Is this the justice system we want for our country? We have a long and shameful past of institutionalising ‘fallen women’. The clear contempt in the way the judge spoke to and about these women is very reminiscent of our dark history of Magdalene laundries and Mother and Baby homes.

“Sex workers want to be safe and we want to trust the state and its services in upholding our rights. But cases like this erode the already precarious trust that workers have in state services. Next year, there will be a three year review of the 2017 Sexual Offences Act. The Sex Workers Alliance will be calling for full decriminalisation of sex workers in the review.”

#DecrimforSafety #SupportSafeSexWork.

Ask your candidate about sex work laws

May 13, 2019

In less than 2 weeks we take to the polls again to vote for politicians to represent us on a local and European level. Sex workers are rarely heard by politicians so WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please ask your candidates about what they will do to help sex workers. Many politicians will not have considered sex work outside of Ending Demand so we need to change that.

Ask your candidate about sex work laws

What do you think about the new sex work legislation here in Ireland?
Do you support the health and safety of all women and trans people?
Do you believe in evidence-based policy?
Did you know that since the laws changed in 2017 there has been a 92% increase in violent crime against sex workers? Do you know there has also been a near 20% decrease in willingness to report to Gardai?
Do you support the rights of sex workers, beyond them exiting sex work? What do you think sex workers would need to leave sex work or to not engage in the first place?
How are you going to support migrant sex workers to work safely, when they are often conflated with trafficking victims and therefore perceived as needing rescue?
Do you think the policing of consenting adults is a good use of Garda resources? Do you want everyone to be served by the Gardaí, including the most marginalised? Did you realise that many more sex workers due to brothel-keeping laws have been arrested than their clients?
Did you support the campaign to repeal the 8th? Do you think bodily autonomy extends beyond abortion? We have passed progressive legislation about same-sex marriage, gender recognition and abortion in the last by listening to the people directly affected. Are you willing to do the same for sex workers?
What will you do to support sex workers rights? Will you support their call for full decriminalisation of sex work?
Have you heard of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, the only sex-worker centred front-line service here? How are you going to make sure that at the legislative review of the Sexual Offences Bill in 2020, the Oireachtas Committee prioritizes the voices of current sex workers as they are the ones with the first-hand knowledge of this new law’s impact?

Politicians will try and avoid answers to hard questions so you can use this opportunity to inform them that:

55 workers have been arrested and only one client has been prosecuted under our law. This shows the law isn’t fit for purpose.
Where any aspect of sex work is criminalised, including client criminalisation it has adverse health outcomes for the workers.
Our laws criminalise two or more sex workers working together from the same place, despite the fact would be safer for them to work together.
Client criminalisation makes it much more difficult to find trafficking victims.
If we truly want to reduce or eliminate sex trafficking we must understand how immigration policies lead to trafficking.
People enter sex work for a variety of reason, often because they have no choice. Austerity, visa status, precarious work and housing, lack of childcare, drug-use, debt and lack of decent employment are all factors.
65% of all murdered trans and gender diverse people were sex workers.
We are an Ireland moving away from its dark past. Stigma and shame weigh heavily on sex workers.

We’ve made a handy printable pdf for you to stick up on the back of your door so you have it ready to question your candidate.

Press release: International Sex Workers Rights Day

March 3, 2019

Today, the 3rd of March is International Sex Workers Rights Day. The Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) is the only sex workers rights groups in Ireland who places currently working sex workers at the heart of the campaign. We are also the only sex worker group in the country that supports male and trans sex workers, as well as female sex workers.

Kate McGrew, director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) says “In 2017, despite warnings from us and other bodies in Ireland misguided politicians proceeded to change the laws and adopt what is known as the Swedish model of client criminalisation. Since that time there has been a 77% increase in violence against sex workers. ”

She continues “Penalties for workers working in pairs or groups doubled was a change in law that happened quietly, but it is an extremely dangerous piece of legislation. There will be a review of the law in 2020 and we will be centering the voices of currently working and former sex workers. These laws make sex workers unsafe. When 50 workers have been prosecuted under the laws but only two men we can see how these laws are being used against the people they are supposed to save and are not fit for purpose.

For sex workers, the police are vectors of violence, not of safety or harm reduction. Migrant sex workers, already on the margins of society, are the targets of these raids and are offered the choice of leaving the country or face prosecution and possibly deportation. These strategies only serve to move the sex workers on and no interaction with support services or assistance is offered.

There is a mounting body of evidence that full decriminalisation of sex work is the only way to keep sex workers safe and ensure that we have full access to justice and supports. By pushing sex workers to the margins and criminalising their work we leave workers open to exploitation from 3rd parties.”

Sex workers are tired of being spoken about, not spoken to. Misinformation and use of stereotypes about sex workers used in the media damage the safety and their opportunities to access rights.

Bella, sex worker based in Dublin says “I am proud of being a sex worker. My profession has allowed me to follow my dreams and overcome the extreme poverty I came from. Class oppression made me bow down to the more powerful many times over in my life. Thanks to sex work I am independent and stronger. I don’t need to be saved, I don’t need to be rescued. We have a voice, we can speak for ourselves!”

Today, on International Sex Workers Rights Day we join many sex worker-led organisations around the world in calling for full decriminalisation fo sex worker in Ireland. We would also like to remind sex workers that we are here for peer-led, non-judgemental support.”

Press release: Sex work laws are discriminatory says SWAI

March 1, 2019

We are highlighting the laws surrounding sex work in Ireland as discriminatory laws today on the UNAIDS Zero Discrimination Day. This year UNAIDS are using Zero Discrimination day to draw attention to the many laws which create barriers to health and safety, as well as many other human rights breaches.

Kate McGrew, director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) says “We all deserve to have health and safety but laws which police sexual expression, including transactional sex between consenting adults, lead to already marginalised people being pushed further into the margins. When sex workers, who in Ireland are mostly migrants, cannot work together in safety they take greater risks, such as shorter negotiations or lack of use of condoms. Stigma and shame lead to sex workers not attending services such as rape crisis centres or seeking justice if they have been a victim of a crime.”

She continues “In 5 countries in the world the possession of condoms is “proof” that a person is engaged in sex work. In Ireland we hear from workers that Gardai routinely take condoms as evidence of sex work as well as any money made, during a brothel raid, even when they do not make any arrests and only tell the women to move on. This leaves the workers with no money to travel and with no safe way to make money to do so. Sex workers, and trans workers in particular, are at high risk for HIV and any law that makes them less likely to practice safe sex or get tested has a detrimental effect on an already vulnerable population.

Misguided politicians have been led ot believe that our laws save sex workers, but instead they put them in harms way. SWAI is the only sex workers rights group in Ireland that puts sex workers at the centre of their policy. We join many other sex workers rights groups in calling for full decriminalisation of sex work, including clients, so that workers can have healthy and safe lives free from stigma”

Statement about Google and Ugly Mugs

February 28, 2019

SWAI is extremely concerned for the safety of sex workers in Ireland, as Ugly Mugs a widely used by sex workers has been rejected by Google to allows its app to screen calls and texts. This app screens calls and text for dangerous clients. Ugly Mugs applied for an exemption to new rules by Google to clamp down on apps, that require phone and sms permissions, but Google rejected its application.

This app is used by sex workers all over Ireland on a daily basis and they rely on it to keep them safe. It is extremely concerning that an app, which keeps sex workers safe from dangerous clients and has helped prevent many attacks on sex workers is having one of its keys means to keep sex workers safe being removed from the app.

Catriona, a sex worker “I use this app all the time and honestly without it I would probably be beaten or robbed. This is something I don’t say lightly, but my safety has been indispensable to the existent of this app. I am really worried for myself and my colleagues, that such an important part of the app is being removed.”

Kate McGrew, director of SWAI says “Sex workers, and trans workers in particular, are some of the most vulnerable people on the planet. Sex work is not illegal in Ireland, but working together with another worker is. What little safety nets we have are being eroded.

We all deserve to work in safety and removing this feature from Ugly Mugs will be put in danger because of this issue. Google need to step up and do the right thing so that we can continue to remain safe”

press release: One prosecution for man caught up in raid shows law is not fit for purpose

January 21, 2019

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Kate McGrew, director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) says “This man was caught procuring sex during a raid on a so-called brothel, when two or more workers work together. This case yet against highlights how the law is being used against workers who may want to work together for safety reasons. This man was collateral damage in an ill-fated war to end demand. He was not the intended target of the raid, the workers were.”

She continues “As a result of this prosecution workers will be forced to work alone, which increases their vulnerability. Working or living with another sex worker is illegal in Ireland. Penalties doubled for workers working in pairs or groups when the law change and this change in law happened quietly, but it is an extremely dangerous piece of legislation. The Nordic model purportedly is meant to target the client but by this law, but if we want to work legally here we are forced to work alone. Violent attacks specifically increased on us 77% in the first year of the law being introduced. This is not a coincidence.”

“This is the first prosecution of a client under the laws brought in in 2017, but from statistics we go from the Central Statistics office we know 55 people have been arrested. We can only conclude that the rest of those prosecuted under brothel keeping laws are the workers themselves. Is this really what this law was introduced for?”

“For sex workers the police are vectors of violence, not of safety or harm reduction. Many migrant sex workers, already on the margins of society, are offered the choice of leaving the country or face prosecution and possibly deportation. When anti-sex work organisations speak about all sex work being violence, including the consensual transactions, what recourse do we have when we are actually assaulted?”

“No one is asking about the sex workers who have been caught in this raid. We hope they are safe and getting the support they need and we would like to remind them and all other sex workers that we are here for peer-led, non judgemental support for all sex workers”

Press release: Garda and laws fail the most vulnerable

December 17, 2018

While new report shows that Sex Workers working even in partially criminalised settings face three times the amount of violence, it remains completely illegal for two workers to work together for safety in Ireland.

Today is International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Sex Workers. In a year of difficult conversations which challenged the status quo and led to real gains for women and people who can get pregnant in Ireland, we must continue to push further to ensure bodily autonomy and the safety of everyone, including sex workers.

Kate McGrew, director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) says “Penalties for workers working in pairs or groups doubled was a change in law that happened quietly, but it is an extremely dangerous piece of legislation. The Nordic model purportedly is meant to target the client but by this law, but if we want to work legally here we are forced to work alone. Violent attacks specifically increased on us 77% in the first year of the law being introduced. This is not a coincidence.”

She continues “We talk to worker after worker whose safety and income has become increasingly precarious. Many are forced to seek assistance for housing by criminals who prey upon our vulnerability. In a time of housing crisis we are exploited by landlords who take advantage of our brothel keeping laws to extract enormous sums for use of their property.

Trans sex workers of colour are some of the most vulnerable people in the world. Sex work is one of the few avenues of income open to trans people. While we have quite progressive law on gender recognition in Ireland employment opportunities are rare. Until proper supports are put in place for everyone people will still continue to see sex work as their opportunity for independence and income.

The officers who arrest us are the ones we are to report to if we are assaulted. For sex workers the police are vectors of violence, not of safety or harm reduction. Many migrant sex workers, already on the margins of society, are offered the choice of leaving the country or face prosecution and possibly deportation. When anti-sex work organisations speak about all sex work being violence, including the consensual transactions, what recourse do we have when we are actually assaulted?

We see reports published that back up what we have known anecdotally for years; that when any aspect of sex work is criminalised, including the purchase of sex, violence against sex workers is normalised. We want sex work decriminalised so that we are no longer pushed to the margins. How long can some feminist organisations, the government and the health department ignore the growing body of evidence that shows that their policies are damaging our health?”