Despite passing an anti-prostitution law in 2014, nobody has been prosecuted in Ireland
In December 2014, the Northern Ireland Assembly passed a law, ostensibly to help prevent Human Trafficking, which included a provision (the so-called Nordic Model) making it a criminal offence to pay for sex, even if the participants were both consenting adults and nobody had trafficked.
David Ford, the Justice Minister, stated that the bill as “ground-breaking” and claimed it would make “a material difference in the lives of vulnerable people”, but he also said that he still had misgivings about the criminalisation of paying for sexual services because the debate had “diverted the focus away from some of the other important measures and into the moral issues surrounding the purchase of sex”.
In other words, this part of the bill was not so much about trying to protect trafficked women, but simply to try to eliminate prostitution because of the moral views of the Assembly Members.
Mr Ford commented that “I remain disappointed the research I commissioned from Queens University was ignored and indeed at times derided,” referring to
Not only that, but 98% of sex workers in Northern Ireland opposed criminalising buyers of sexual services
[bctt tweet=”98% of sex workers in Northern Ireland opposed criminalising buyers of sexual services.”]
In a report that the Justice Minister commissioned from Queen’s University Belfast researchers found that 61% of local sex workers felt that a “Swedish” or “Scandavian” style law criminalising those who buy sex would make workers less safe.
Also 85% of those working in the trade said that the legislation would not have the effect of reducing sex trafficking.
Not only that, but only 16% of the prostitutes’ clients in Northern Ireland who were interviewed by Queen’s University said that a law like this would make them stop paying for sex.
[bctt tweet=”Only 16% of punters in Northern Ireland said a Nordic Model law would stop them paying for sex”]
What has been the effect of this Anti-Prostitution law?
Figures released by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland have shown that, despite this law, nobody has actually ended up in court for trying to pay for sex.
The PSNI state that, over 800 men pay for sex every day in Northern Ireland, yet only 10 men have been investigated by the Police during the year that this law has been in force.
Of those 10 cases which have benen referred to the PPS for potential prosecution, three have been thrown out, two of the men were cautioned by Police instead of being prosecuted and the last two cases are still under consideration by a senior Northern Irish prosecutor.
[bctt tweet=”If it’s now illegal to pay for sex in Northern Ireland, why has nobody been convicted?”]
So if it’s now illegal to pay for sex in Northern Ireland, why has nobody been convicted?
David Ford, who, as mentioned, was Northern Ireland Justice Minister when the law was introduced is not surprised that this has been the result.
“The challenge for police is how they actually produce evidence from what is, in effect, a consensual business relationship between two adults. There clearly is a lot of work that needs to be done to fight trafficking, but that is not the same thing,” he said.
In other words, it’s a bit difficult to make a case for prosecution when nobody thinks that a crime has been committed.
[bctt tweet=”It’s difficult prosecute someone for buying sex when nobody thinks a crime’s been committed”]
In which case why was this law passed?
Frankly, in our opinion, it’s because it’s something that would look good in the press and allow the Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to say to campaigners “Look, see, we’re doing something”.
Also, regrettably, we believe that the idea behind such laws is to try to stop women from taking up prostitution or continuing in the business because it actually makes life more dangerous for them.
This is because clients will be more inclined to withold phone numbers, want to meet in out of the way places or in dark alleyways and do everything they can to avoid being identified (and thus risking prosecution), but, of course, these are all things that put prostitutes at greater risk since they cannot easily identify or report dangerous clients.
Do you think that laws such as this are justified?
Do you think the Nordic model of criminalising buyers of sex works? Will it help stamp out prostitution, or will it just put women more at risk?
Are laws like this needed, or should politicians have the courage to bring into effect laws which actually help protect women by decriminalising sex work?
Post your comments below…