Press Release

Press release: ‘Swedish Model’ promotes harassment and is failing to deter sex workers or clients, says co-author of new Northern Ireland study

October 6, 2019

A major surge in harassment of sex workers following the introduction of the so-called ‘Swedish Model’ in Northern Ireland was among the main findings in a review of the impact of the legislation, Dr Caoimhe Ní Dhónaill, co-author of a report commissioned for the Northern Ireland Department of Justice said at a meeting in Dublin tonight (Sunday, October 6th).

The meeting was organised by Kate McGrew and the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland as one of the first in a series of six events related to a similar review in the Republic of Ireland.

Caoimhe Ní Dhonaíll, a Queens University Belfast based academic, said that the report, the first in any country to compare data both before and after introduction of the ‘Nordic model’, says there appears to have been no impact on the number of sex workers, while support services remain paltry.

“While levels of serious and violent crime appear to have remained static, responses from sex workers indicate that almost three quarters (73%) reported ‘abusive or threatening phonecalls’ in the past year, while half reported abusive or threatening behaviour. This compares with only one in eight reporting similar abuse in the previous five years.

“These findings are almost identical to those from Uglymugs, an organisation documenting sex worker health and safety, that between 2016 and 2018 self-reported assault increased by 225%, while ‘other sexual assault’ increased by 300%. This includes threatening to call landlord/police, threatening to damage the sex worker’s reputation and unauthorised photography as well as seeking free sex.

The report, ‘A Review of the Criminalisation of paying for Sexual Services in Northern Ireland,’ was published in September by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice. It showed only 11% of clients stated an intention to stop purchasing sex.

“Evidence from the Médecins du Monde study of similar French legislation introduced in 2016 suggests it has no effect on abusive or violent clients, rather it is those who are non-abusive and non-violent who seem to be dissuaded. We, therefore, may simply be placing sex workers in more danger by imposing the Nordic model.

“Commercial sex now seems much riskier and more underground than before the Nordic model. A law claiming to tackle violence against women appears to instead facilitate an unsafe work environment.

“Worrying evidence also emerged that it is mainly sex workers themselves rather than statutory agencies who provide help and assistance in the area. “Only a minority of sex workers in the Northern Ireland survey accessed of Women’s Aid or Ruhama. Considerably more engaged with UglyMugs.ie and Sex Workers’ Alliance Ireland (SWAI), both based outside the jurisdiction.

“Neither does the law seems to have impacted on numbers entering sex work. 35 people started selling sex after the legislation was implemented in June 2015 which represents 21.6% of those that responded to this particular question. An estimated 308 sex workers are advertising across Northern Ireland on a daily basis, showing no reduction from figures cited in official research in 2014.

It also appears that many people dip in and out of sex work as need and circumstance dictate. For example, 39.4% of respondents had left for periods of up to six months but then returned,” Caoimhe Ní Dhónail said.

“The government here should instigate similar detailed research as part of the review of legislation in the Republic of Ireland,” Kate McGrew, Director, Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, said in response.

“Legislation here follows the same Swedish Model approach that is clearly shown in Northern Ireland to be grossly defective. SWAI is increasingly aware of safety and health concerns affecting sex workers, particularly those working alone. The government must not continue to turn a blind eye to the facts,” she said.

“The national coordination body for police services in the UK, The National Police Chiefs Council, has advised UK police services not to equate all sex work with trafficking in its operational guidance issued in January 2019. It is time that the law here also clearly separates sex work that women undertake by their own decision from instances of trafficking and other abuses,” she said.

Press Release: Today’s actions will decrease trust in Gardaí for already marginalised sex workers

September 27, 2019

Kate McGrew, current sex worker and spokesperson for the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland(SWAI) said “The criminalisation of client law was brought in with great fanfare over 2 years ago but, as yet, has only seen two men prosecuted for the purchase of sex in Ireland. It is unclear at this time that any of the 38 people questioned will be prosecuted.”

She continues “In early 2020 there will be a review of the impact of the law so we are not surprised that there has been an increase in the questioning of those who seek the service of sex workers. But we know from figures gleaned from Ugly Mugs, an app sex workers use to keep ourselves safe, that over the past 2 years the laws have seen sex workers being deported, arrested or forced to leave the country to avoid prosecution for working together for safety. We also know that there has been a marked increase in violent crimes against sex workers here in Ireland, an increase of 92%. As far as we know everyone who has been prosecuted of so-call brothel-keeping in Ireland has been a migrant. All of this begs the question, who is truly being affected by the law, who are the vulnerable persons the Garda say they are protecting and who are we trying to keep safe?

With closures of Gardaí stations around the country we know that the Gardaí’s resources would be better served investigating other crimes. We’ve seen from the report released last week, commissioned by the Department of Justice Northern Ireland that the law does not reduce demand or, indeed, trafficking.

We don’t know anything about the workers who were caught up in these actions. We don’t know if they were consenting workers or part of the minority of those who have been trafficked into Ireland for sex work. These actions have not addressed the root causes of sex work, such as austerity, poverty, lack of childcare. These actions have not provided the supports on exiting sex work, should people want to exit, which were promised with the introduction of the law.

This year we have seen the results of sex workers working with Gardaí which led to the conviction of a serial rapist of sex workers. But we are afraid that actions such as those reported on today will result in a decrease in trust in the Gardaí. We know that less than 1% of crimes committed against sex workers are reported to the Gardaí. We would like to see Garda efforts focus on actually helping sex workers when they are the victims of a crime, instead of meddling with their means of survival.”

SWAI is the only front-line, sex worker-led organisation in Ireland and we want to see sex work fully decriminalised. These laws make clients more fearful, which impacts the safety of sex workers. One of the many reasons we want sex work decriminalised is so that sex workers can work with the Gardaí to combat trafficking and exploitation in the industry. We only have to look at New Zealand and New South Wales in Australia to see how full decriminalisation has led to cooperation between workers and the police. If we truly want to combat trafficking the Gardaí should work with their best allies, sex workers, instead of targetting them and their livelihood. We ask that misinformed politicians listen to us, the very people who are materially affected by these laws. Who are these laws helping? Sex workers want to be safe, like everyone else.

#DecrimforSafety #SupportSafeSexWork.

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.

Press release: Serial rapist of sex workers convicted today with help from Sex Workers Alliance Ireland

May 10, 2019

Justice for sex workers is rare but there is hope, says Sex Workers Alliance Ireland

Today the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found a man guilty of serial violent sexual assaults on sex workers in 2017.

Kate McGrew, director of SWAI and current sex worker says “We all expect laws to keep us safe. Before the law introducing criminalisation of the purchase of sex in 2017, sex workers and our allies warned misinformed politicians and the state that this will see an increase in violence against sex workers. Since the law changed we have seen a 92% increase in violent crimes against sex workers.”

She continued “As the first point of contact for these victims we encouraged and supported them through this process while liaising with the Gardaí. As a result of the bravery of these women, this man has now been prosecuted. We are heartened to see that our work and liaising with Gardaí have resulted in a conviction. It is all too rare for sex workers to get justice.”

“When people are attacked or assaulted one of the first steps they will take is reporting to the Gardaí. When you are a sex worker you have to weigh this up against the threat of deportation, future surveillance or even mockery by the Gardaí. Many workers never report assaults and have a long-standing mistrust of the Gardaí. Sex workers must feel safe to report without scrutiny or judgement on their livelihood and residence.

Today’s case gives us and sex workers working in Ireland hope that they can report Gardaí and find paths to justice. We are heartened to see stretched Garda resources being used to prosecute those who are attacking vulnerable women. We reiterate our call to decriminalise sex work so that workers feel safe in reporting to the Gardaí. We call for the end of criminalisation of the purchase of sex and women working together in pairs for safety. 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: Gardaí questions 36 men but many more sex workers have been arrested

April 29, 2019

Gardaí should protect the most vulnerable. Instead our laws put marginalised people in danger and waste precious Garda resources.

Kate McGrew, director of SWAI and currently working sex worker said “36 men have been questioned over purchase of sex in the past few days and, while this is a huge number this is still far less than the 55 workers who have been prosecuted for working together in safety*, so called brothel-keeping. Of these 36 men we don’t know how many, if any, will be prosecuted. All the while there has been a 92% increase in violent crime against sex workers since the 2017 laws came in. This is where Garda resources should be directed”

She continued “While we don’t know the details of the cases, the press release from the Gardaí reads like there was mass surveillance on workers. The outcome of this will mean that clients will not use their real names or phone numbers to evade detection. This puts workers at a very real risk as they will be less able to screen predators. They may also insist that workers come to them, taking the worker out of their security zone and into somewhere unknown. Sex workers are now forced to work in isolation, which puts them at further risk of violence and exploitation. Ultimately sex worker will be driven further underground, which does nothing to help the minority of trafficked people working in sex work in Ireland.

“There is nothing in the Garda statement about the workers. We don’t know if they are safe, or whether they were coerced or consenting adults. Sex work is a particular type of work that people do when they have few other options. The law does not help them. Workers will be forced to take risks to make ends meet. Questioning and arresting clients is, in fact, not support for sex workers and is a terrible use of stretched Garda resources. Mass surveilance of sex workers leads to distrust in the Gardaí, making workers less likely to report when they have been assulated.”

“The bottom line is these actions reported today are not support. The actions by the Gardaí over the past few days and the resources spent on them do nothing to help sex workers, should they want to leave sex work. In the past we have worked with the Gardaí and workers who were violently attacked to bring those perpetrators to justice. During the period of escalated violence that has followed the 2017 change in law, SWAI has been increasingly involved on the ground with helping workers on the ground in emergency situations. In our interactions with the Gardaí, even when they are dealing with workers who have been attacked, it is clear that they are overstretched. We fear that actions such as those reported today will mean a loss of trust in the Gardaí. We would like to see Garda efforts focus on actually helping sex workers when they are the victims of a crime, instead of meddling with their means of survival.”

The Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, the only sex worker led front-line organisation in Ireland, want to see sex work decriminalised. Studies have shown that where any aspect of sex work is criminalised it means increased violence and adverse health conditions for the worker**. The 2017 law does nothing to address the precarity and lack of security that can lead to human trafficking. One of the big reasons we need full decriminalisation in Ireland is to improve relations with Gardai, so that those on the ground – sex workers and clients alike – can easily report exploitation, abuse, and trafficking without repercussion. We ask that misinformed politicians listen to us, the very people who are materially affected by these laws. Who are these laws helping? Sex workers want to be safe, like everyone else.

#DecrimforSafety #SupportSafeSexWork.

Press release: Government need to face facts and decriminalise sex work for our safety

March 27, 2019

We all deserve to work in safety, access health services and paths to justice. Since the enactment of the 2017 law, sex workers are less safe. Violent crime against sex workers has increased by 92% in the past 2 years.

Kate McGrew, sex worker and director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) says “We deserve to be safe but instead of decreasing demand the laws have created a buyers market, where the purchasers of sex hold the power. This in direct opposition to what we were told was the intention of the law. Sex workers are not decriminalised. The penalties of sex workers sharing premises together, also known as brothel keeping, has doubled since the introduction of the new Sexual Offences Bill in 2017. Sex workers are now forced to work in isolation, which puts them at further risk of violence and exploitation. Since the law has been introduced many more sex workers have been arrested than clients. We want sex work decriminalised so that the power gets put back in the hands of the worker.”

She adds “Security and safety matter to sex workers too. When the laws changed in 2017 we saw a marked increase in violent crime. We supported several trans migrant sex workers after a spate of serial attacks. If we are attacked we want to rely on the Gardaí to help us and to apprehend our attackers. Sex workers are afraid to report crimes to Gardai, in fear their workplace will then be surveilled to catch their clients. The law means sex workers see Gardai don’t have their best interests at heart, as they need to enforce the laws. The current law diverts much-needed resources away from community policing and into policing what happens between consenting adults.”

“Sex workers can be an ally in the fight against trafficking, but right now we feel we cannot approach the Gardaí with information because we will be surveilled, or worse, deported. This new law does nothing to solve human trafficking.” Kate Continues. “Everyone is worthy of a life without oppression and coercion, including sex workers. Workers that have been caught up in brothel raids have been asked to leave the country. Where are the oversight and compassion? How does that solve human trafficking?

We want to be safe in our jobs. Since the laws have been enacted workers have lost negotiating power with their clients. Ending demand has led to a drop in prices, increased risk-taking such as taking clients that they feel aren’t safe or not using a condom. In Ireland rates of HIV are rising. Sex workers are at increased risk of HIV but with stigma perpetuated by state bodies and misguided politicians, workers may not attend services provided for them. Trans and vulnerable migrant workers bear the brunt of this and fall through the cracks. We need services fit for purpose.

In Ireland, in the past year, we have monumental strides away from our dark past of Magdeline laundries and hiding women away in shame. We succeeded in repealing the 8th amendment by having difficult conversations about taboo topics. We asked the country to listen and they did. Now we ask misinformed politicians to listen to us.

We are the currently working sex workers in this country. We are the experts in our lives and we are telling you that these laws are damaging. We are calling on the government to decriminalise sex work fully in the 2020 review and make sex workers safe.”

#DecrimforSafety #SupportSafeSexWork

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”