Sex tourists cavan bound

Cavan could soon be flooded with pimps, prostitutes and thugs after tough new sex buyer laws came into force in the North, pushing those involved in the trafficking trade across the border, a lobby group for immigrants has warned.
From Monday, June 1 it is a crime for anyone to pay for sex in the North. Under the new Northern Ireland legislation, which sees the region become the first in the UK to adopt such a ban, anyone caught paying for sex faces up to a year in prison and a fine of £1,000.
The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) approves of the new laws, but predict that unless the Republic act likewise, counties south of the border will become more attractive for those trafficking vulnerable people as sex slaves.
Ahead of the law’s introduction, a study carried out by the ICI showed that online activity on sex trade websites increased by more than 50% in border counties in the past month.
In Louth, there were 25 escorts advertising their services on agency websites at the end of May compared to 18 at the beginning of the month. In Donegal the figures rose from 14 to 24, in Leitrim from two to nine, and from 13 to 15 in Cavan.

“We’re busier than ever before,” spokesperson for ICI, Gerry O’Connor told The Anglo-Celt, explaining how the charity has assisted in extricating 19 victims of sex trafficking from the industry in the last 12 months.
“Most of those would be women in the Dublin area. But how this industry operates is a person being trafficked could be in Cavan one day only, and Cork the next. I don’t want to be crude but those behind the trafficking know buyers have a demand for fresh meat, so they’re constantly being moved.”
He states that the new laws in the north mean that the region south of the border is now being left particularly vulnerable as a result, saying: “Without complete action, it’s simply moving the problem from one area into another.”
Anti-trafficking consultant with ICI, Denise Charlton agrees. She says the new laws in the North will have a push factor in moving a greater proportion of the pay-for-sex trade into the Republic.
“There is no doubt that sex buyers will make the short journey over the border in order to escape the law and the pimps and traffickers will follow,” she said.
Ms Charlton, the ICI and the Turn Off the Red Light Campaign, which seeks to end prostitution and sex trafficking in Ireland by criminalising the purchase of sex, are calling for an all-Ireland approach to dealing with the issue.
Meanwhile, Brian Killoran, chief executive of ICI has said: “We cannot pretend that Ireland is immune from one of the most lucrative crimes of our time.”
The Immigrant Council is one of 72 organisations campaigning for sex buyer laws to be introduced in the Republic, and Mr Killoran is now also urging the Gardaí to play a part in monitoring the increase in online sex trade activity.
“The Immigrant Council of Ireland is committed to working with the Minister for Justice and politicians from all sides to ensure swift publication and enactment of the law,” he said.