This represents a real victory for victims and survivors of prostitution and sex trafficking. The European Court of Human Rights ruled against a challenge to the French law, which outlaws the purchase of sexual access to the body of another person. France introduced this legislative model in , followed by Ireland in , she said. This represents a real victory for victims and survivors of prostitution and sex trafficking around the globe, whose lives have been scarred by sexual exploitation.
At present, under the Sexual Offences Act , those who offer their services as a sex worker are no longer committing an offence. Part 4 of the legislation introduced two new offences — the payment for sexual activity with a prostitute, and paying for sexual activity with a trafficked person. Under the legislation, a provision was also included for a review of the measures after three years.
The terms of reference were published in July The review is to include an assessment of the impact of the act on the welfare of those who engage in sexual activity for payment. Earlier this year, it emerged through a reply from Justice Minister Helen McEntee to a parliamentary question put down by Independent TD Catherine Connolly that the department plans to finalise the review internally.
This was despite advertising last autumn for a replacement for the lead researcher on the project, Maura Butler, who stood down last summer.
Read More Sex in the city — life as an escort in Ireland. Lunchtime News. Sign up to the best reads of the week from irishexaminer. Please click here for our privacy statement. Sign in My Account Sign out. Homepage news European court ruling on French prostitution laws 'a real victory for victims', Irish advocate says 'A lobby in support of the sex trade and its profiteers brought this challenge to the French law all the way to the ECHR, but ultimately it has failed. Read More. More in this section.
