The Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) condemns the Minister for Justice’s continued delays in releasing the promised review of the Nordic Model of sex work laws. The long-awaited review was expected to come out in the next few weeks, as we learned from the media in September. However, it will now be published in early 2025. This delay conveniently extends beyond the tenure of the current government.
“How can we believe the Minister for Justice about anything when we are continually lied to about the date of this report?” says Linda Kavanagh, spokesperson for SWAI. “We learned this news through the media, which has been a feature of this farcical process over the past 4 years.”
“This review will be 5 years delayed come 2025. The can has been kicked down the road because there is a lack of political support, unlike other laws that have experienced strong public backing, such as the abortion law. However, this does not mean that health, safety, bodily autonomy, and lives are not at risk, just as they are at risk without access to abortion. Will the new government formed after November 29th ignore marginalised communities as much as the current one has?”
“The Department of Justice assured The Journal that sex workers were engaged in this process. We await evidence of this claim because when we engaged with the former independent reviewer, who has since stepped back, we were informed that there was not enough time to consult more sex workers. That was in 2022.”
“Delaying the review while the laws continue to harm and kill is unconscionable and further compounds the damage caused by a deeply flawed legal framework. The Nordic Model has devastated the safety and wellbeing of sex workers in Ireland. Sex workers in Ireland face a rising tide of violence, evictions, and isolation due to the Nordic Model’s criminalisation of clients and punitive brothel-keeping laws. The tragic murder of sex worker Geila Ibram in 2023 highlights the direct consequences of a system that pushes sex work underground. Current laws prioritise ideology over evidence.”
“Brothel-keeping laws criminalise shared workspaces, leaving sex workers vulnerable to eviction, exploitation, and homelessness. Criminalisation isolates sex workers, limits access to peer support, and erodes trust in Gardaí, with only 1% of sex workers reporting crimes compared to 81% of the general population.”
“Research consistently demonstrates that decriminalisation is essential for reducing violence and improving safety. Meanwhile, the Nordic Model forces workers to prioritise client safety over their own, exacerbating risks and undermining their autonomy.”
“International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is less than a month away. Tomorrow is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence starts next week. The Irish government’s inaction and contempt for sex workers’ lives is a disgrace—we will not stand by while their harmful laws continue to maim, silence, and kill.”
