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CHILDREN AS YOUNG as 14 are being trafficked around Ireland, used as sexual objects for profit by pimps who manage to stay one step ahead of prosecution.
Flown in from countries such as Moldova and Latvia, the girls grow up and are then moved around the country to different brothels.
The Immigrant Council of Ireland along with prostitution support group Ruhama estimate that there are between 800-1000 women available to buy for sex nationwide at any one time. The biggest change in recent years, according to Ruhama CEO Sarah Benson, is that the women are now being brought in from Eastern European countries and sub-Saharan Africa.
While the days of the “underground Love/Hate style brothel” are almost over, Benson described how widespread the sex industry is, especially in the capital.
“Christchurch, Smithfield, the IFSC as well. Point at an apartment block there and you’ll find a brothel. It’s a very mobile and extremely profitable business for pimps. If you get thrown out of one apartment, you can be in another quite quickly,” Benson said.
“There have also been cases where children have been trafficked around Ireland. When Ruhama comes into contact with these people, they are immediately referred to Tusla.”
Benson added: “We have worked with minors. Some of the adult women we deal with would have been trafficked as minors.
If we do encounter a minor, we would notify Tusla. We have come across minors in mainstream brothels. Girls around 16 years of age. But there’s an issue around grooming. Kids in residential care are very vulnerable to being exploited but it’s usually done in a more controlled environment like private parties.
The Immigrant Council of Ireland also deals with trafficked women who are being used as sex slaves here.
CEO Brian Killoran told TheJournal.ie how the demand for prostitution has to be tackled and that attitudes need to change.
“We are part of Turn Off The Red Light and we are coming at it from the anti-trafficking perspective. What we see are very vulnerable women who are really marginalised. They’re abused physically, psychologically, financially. Sometimes they don’t even know what country they’re in. A lot of the time they have their passports or documents taken away from them. They are profited from and then moved around. There have to be more deterrents. We need to put the brakes on this trade,” he said.
Criminal
While it is difficult to estimate the size of the sex industry in Ireland, Benson believes that the numbers they deal with in Ruhama are quite steady. They remain committed to giving women all the support they need to get out of lives of prostitution.
Earlier this year, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2015 passed through the Oireachtas meaning the buyers of sex would now be criminalised.
Ruhama has long advocated for legislation to focus on the demand of sex buyers as a key measure to curb expansion of the exploitative sex trade here.
The organisation has also advocated for many years for the repealing of the offence for soliciting for prostitution to give the clear social message that no person should be criminalised for their own exploitation.
Benson added: “Without demand there would be no supply. We witness every day the ugly consequences of prostitution and sex trafficking, where the most vulnerable women and girls from across the globe are targeted to be used in Ireland’s brothels. At the same time, in removing the offence for soliciting, the spirit of this law is clear: those in prostitution should not be criminalised.”
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The shopping centre is empty because Ballymun regeneration (aka dublin corporation) bought the existing stores out to close the centre down, they wanted to make way for a new shopping centre that their pals in treasury holdings planned on building
http://www.herald.ie/news/whats-in-a-name-as-ballymun-becomes-spring-cross-27894808.html
Of course that died on its arse and ballymun was left with an empty shopping centre
You couldnt make this stuff up, gross mismanagement
Thanks for the link Whistler. Judging by the number of thumbs down there were at least 7 Dublin City Councilors reading this article.
An eyesore is an eyesore ,after all !
Been through that area a few times and went into the center once. I can honestly say I was actually shocked by the deplorable conditions both inside and outside. It defines “kip” like nowhere else I’ve been. Not helped by the large population of drunken tramps and junkies frequenting it too. Really feel bad for decent people trapped in that area.
I can’t believe there are people in Ballymun who have jobs
Although you jest, there are not many.
You da man Vlad!
Every tesco is an eye sore, they make their shops look budget so u think your getting reduced prices. Been robbing ireland for years
Sadly, Ballymun shopping centre IS a dump, so this is understandable.
That whole place should be levelled along with the remaining towers, and most of the low life’s and dying junkies that frequent the place. feel so sorry for the decent people up there
I feel sorry for anyone who looses their job. The centre hasn’t been busy for probably 20 years. So many empty units in it now. That tescos has to be the most depressing supermarket I’ve ever been in. There’s so many options in the surrounding areas. SuperValu across the road, Omni and Charlestown. Shame the plans for a big shopping centre never moved off the drawing board
They undersold the area for the shopping centre by about 10 million. Have a gues who bought it….drum roll………..johnny ronan
I heard tesco were offered the chance to move to a new purpose built unit across the road on the land that now has wild flowers on it. But they decided to run down the lease. A number of shop owners wanted to move with them but Tesco weren’t interested. How true that is I can’t say, one of those rumours you hear from someone who was “at the meeting”
That area was where the new centre was supposed to be
Don’t let the absence of fact stop a good rumour there sure you won’t.
The lad at the meeting owns a few businesses in the area. Seems reliable enough for me
….& it’s definitely nothing to do with the onslaught and lower prices of Aldi & Lidl! Supervalu just up the road cut their store in half a couple of Years ago…..
Exactly. You’ve hit the nail squarely on the head with that comment.
Not a chance… Loads of lidls and Aldi’s beside tescos all over the country and it doesn’t make a jot of difference
I dont drive so my nearest aldi is a pain to shop at. The nearest lidl in in the city centre and the supervalu has a dreadful selection to say the least. That tesco sadly is in a decapitated centre that gave me the heebee jeebies passing through wasnt opened late nor on a sunday (wont pay the staff time and a third) never mind bank holidays. It was only a matter of time sadly. I hope they all find more work. I know I’ll be worse off due to its closure anyway.
Never thought I’d see Tesco closing a store
Aldi in Ballymun/Santry is always packed.
history repeating itself,Dcc did the same thing in the 60′s when they were building Ballymun, BRL/DCC where supposed to build community facilities including large shopping centre. houses have been built with no proper amenities……welcome to ballymun!!
Feel sorry for those losing their jobs and for once it appears nama is not to be blamed. But does highlight why nama will not work, lots of property in areas where nothing can be done and lots of politicians bleeting that nama should pull rabbits from a hat and reverse 20 years of decline with a ‘plan’. Same politician will score points with electorate whilst not raising any ideas that would be remotely viable for the property.
What a shame I worked in Joe Wynnes newsagent when Quinnsworth was there back in 1971 wow I’m showing my age here lol But cannot believe this shopping centre is gone what a shame for the community.
That was a very busy newsagent in those days. As we know though when public servants get involved in business matters it can only go one way, disaster for workers.
They forget that all jobs aren’t guaranteed for life.
I have good memories of this Centre. Spent some summers with cousins in Santry in 80′s never had any issues there!
I remember when the shopping center opened in Ballymun , it was the biggest in the county. We had Quinnsworth and Penney’s and Shaws lots of smaller shops, two pubs two banks , the best fish shop in Dublin , such a pity , I walked through it last December and it was like a war zone.
I worked in Quinnsworth and also had a job at night in the chipper when I first got married ,used to walk home alone at midnight,,,,found not even imagine doing that now.
Its wierd cos the place always seemed busy
Ballymun does anyone really care about such hell holes
Eh yes most of us do
Yes Jimijoeyr people do care, aw maybe you’re one of those cosy D4 head.
I care about where I live, like a lot of us who live out here.
The thing is we are in a Recession and people are shopping on a tight budget. With the likes of Aldi’s and Lidl whom selling Irish produces. Tesco are out pricing themselves in the Market. The two store mention have more then doubled there market share in the last four years.
A lot of Tesco haters on here but they do provide employment to 1000′s here in Ireland directly and indirectly via suppliers!
Amazed at the number of green thumbs for comments that include terms like “drunken tramps and junkies”, “dying junkies” They say a lot more about the commentators and “likers” than these horrible descriptions of humans do.
The crisis in Ukraine has made the situation worse. Tesco should open up in Kiev and use the store in Ballymun as an arms dump for NATO. NATO = Nows Time to Take Over.
Now’s,time to take over = ntto not NATO
Knock it down immediately. Every little helps
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