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US State Department report reveals children forced into prostitution in Ireland

Three cities named where children are being sold for sex despite laws

DARA KELLY,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, June 24, 2012, 8:46 AM

Updated Sunday, June 24, 2012, 8:46 AM

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Children are being forced into prostitution in Dublin, Cork and Kilkenny.

A report from the US State Department has revealed that children are being subjected to prostitution in Dublin, Cork and Kilkenny.

The State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report said that while Ireland was rated as a 'tier one' country, it cited reports from non-governmental organization (NGO) experts who said that children are being subjected to prostitution in places such as Dublin, Cork and Kilkenny.

There were also instances where women from Estonia and Hungary were trafficked to Ireland for the purposes of prostitution.

According to TheJournal.ie, the department's annual report, which was published yesterday, showed that Ireland was one of only 33 out of a total of 185 countries that have complied fully with laws in place to end human trafficking, yet there was some "dissatisfaction" with the implementation of the laws.

Human trafficking campaigner David Lohan said there needs to be more awareness of the issue.

“Awareness is a key element in tackling this, and other, abuses perpetrated against the person,” he says. “However, awareness cannot be premised on misunderstandings. It demands real understanding of what is done by traffickers, why it is done and how they benefit.”

2008 anti-human trafficking legislation, introduced by former Justice Minister Michael McDowell, created separate offences including trafficking in children for the purpose of labour or sexual exploitation.

The report noted that Ireland has yet to fully prosecute and convict any trafficking offenders as defined by the law but added that the government “complies with all minimum standards of elimination of trafficking."

It also urged Ireland to “vigorously implement” the law and to consider creating an amendment to criminalize forced labor and other forms of "compelled service."

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Portia777 | Jul 11, 2012, 11:52 AM EDT

Check in SS/HSE care where child rape does not have to be reported to Gardai. It is a free for all untouchable org.Look to UK and see how the rings operate and how children in care make perfect sex slaves with plenty of money to be made. Drug the kids and they wont even remember. Talk to children and they will tell you how it really is. Believe them, rather than think it cannot happen in ireland. The same system that covered for the men of god now covers the SS/HSE and others

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bunkerhill | Jun 25, 2012, 05:30 PM EDT

What a terrible problem for a tiny country like Ireland when the problem of sex trafficking is all across Europe, Asia and the US. In many cases the people involved in the sex trade have the money to pay off the pols or the police but I don't believe that is the case in Ireland. I don't see any reason why a tiny island like Ireland should have to accept immigrants from much larger countries, whether European or African. These immigrants are not coming from tiny islands like Ireland. No they are coming from much larger countries where they have more choices and resources than the average Irishmen. Why can't these people work in their own homeland? As for Africans, Nigeria is a large country with huge resources. Why should a Nigerian seek refuge and welfare from Ireland? For that matter why should anyone from a foreign country not make a go of the opportunities in their own free country instead of trying to fleece a tiny country for welfare and jobs. We were in a restaurant in Ireland a few years back which was playing beautiful Irish music. Our waitress who identified herself as being from an Eastern European country said she hated Irish music and the Irish. We regret we didn't ask her why she was not in her much larger homeland. The Irish and Irish-Americans are too polite.

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Bythebay | Jun 25, 2012, 01:24 PM EDT

Totally unsubstantiated allegation, no named so-called NGOs or what basis they used for the so-called information. Baseless accusation. Irish central trying tabloid news again.

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IrelandNorth | Jun 25, 2012, 06:19 AM EDT

There's a lot of speculation and exaggeration on this website about sensationalist stories like this and Ireland. Ireland's capitol city, Dublin, is no worse or better than any other capitol city of comparable size. Eastern bloc aclcoholics are in evidence on the boardwalk, as with working-class Dubliner and Traveller drug addicts. EU dictated cutbacks in Garda recruitment isn't helping.

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WoundedKnee | Jun 24, 2012, 05:42 PM EDT

If Ciara hasn't seen it then it doesn't exist. She's never been to the US, that means we don't exist. Of course those of us who read the Irish newspapers are aware of countless cases of drug production and pushing by Vietnamese, Chinese, Poles, Lithuanians, Nigerians etc. etc. One prisoner in three in Irish jails is a foreign migrant. Does Ciara want us to believe they're locked up for double parking? And before Ciara jumps back with her usual half-witted nonsense, yes, I do realize that lots of Irish people are in the drugs business. And it is obvious that the Irish state, as in so many other matters, is unable or unwilling to do something about it. I would warn American visitors in Dublin to be very careful, as the center of the city--north of the Liffey--is full of wandering groups of drug addicts. Most are too stoned to do any harm, but if you are unlucky enough for one to see you as a ticket to buying his next score than you may wind up in an Irish hospital. And that, my friends, is a fate I would wish on no one.

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ciaradexy | Jun 24, 2012, 05:05 PM EDT

Bogside, youre not from Dublin, you dont even live in Dublin and youre not irish so please dont make stuff up about my city. I have lived here all my life and neither me nor my friends or family have ever been attacked, harrassed or offered drugs so please shut up.

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WoundedKnee | Jun 24, 2012, 04:58 PM EDT

haasny007 "Seamor, Eastern Europeans are not illegal in Ireland". He never said they were, you dope. Prostitution is illegal, and trafficking of prostitutes is illegal. Why can't you read a simple post without misinterpreting it.

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haasny007 | Jun 24, 2012, 10:48 AM EDT

Seamor, Eastern Europeans are not illegal in Ireland, just as the Irish are not illegal in the UK or in other parts of the EU. What's required is the enforcement of the laws, which the Gardai seems to be incapable of or lacking the resources to do their job.

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Portia777 | Jun 24, 2012, 10:20 AM EDT

Ireland is well known as a clearing center for human trafficking of women and children. How many children did the HSE loose from their care and where are they? There are a lot of questions to be answered and find the facilitators inside the system. All is not as it seems.

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bogsidebunny | Jun 24, 2012, 09:17 AM EDT

Believe me and this story folks. As you know I have boots on the ground here and every word of this report is TRUE. Anything goes. The town I live near had a whore house loaded with Latvians, Poles and Lithuanians directly across the street from the Town's church. Nail down a sin before going to confession I guess. Dublin has turned into a filthy sewer with Romanians, Poles, Latvians and Nigerians selling drugs and their bodies. The streets aren't safe after dark and hardly safe during the day. Gardai presence is almost Zippo and when you do see them they ignore most street crime unless they absolutely must take action. This ain't NYC gang...It's 100 times worse!

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Seanmor | Jun 24, 2012, 09:12 AM EDT

Are the young women from abroad who work as prostitutes in Ireland brough into the country illegally? Shouldn't the Irish state strictly enforce all its laws against illegal aliens and deport all immigrats who regularly engage in criminal activities?

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