A charity which supports women impacted by prostitution and human trafficking has officially launched its Kerry-Cork service in response to growing demand.
Ruhama works with women impacted by commercial sexual exploitation, including in remote, rural or isolated situations; many have been illegally transported into Ireland for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
They also published new research, which highlights significant deficiencies in accommodation for the victims of sex trafficking in the country.
Ruhama is calling for appropriate, specialist, gender-specific accommodation, adding this is a foundational prerequisite for recovery and protection.
It believes the cumulative harms of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and human trafficking must be explicitly recognised.
The clarity claims that by failing to offer victims housing and the opportunity to rebuild their lives, Ireland is falling far short of its obligations under EU legislation.
The CEO of Ruhama, Barbara Condon says the women in the South-West deserve better access to help.
She says it's “inhumane and untenable" that victim-survivors continue to be accommodated among the general International Protection Accommodation Service.
