Stormont’s newly formed parliamentary group on human trafficking has launched an inquiry into ‘pimping websites’.
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster, Peter Martin MLA — Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group — said the inquiry aims to expose websites used to advertise individuals for prostitution.
The group also highlighted the low number of prosecutions under Northern Ireland’s Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act, which follows the ‘Nordic model’ of seeking to reduce the demand for prostitution by criminalising those who buy sex or control the sex trade.
Dehumanising
In a recent Stormont debate, Martin called on the Assembly to recognise “the significant impact of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking of women and girls facilitated through adult services websites”.
He also asked MLAs to urge the Minister of Justice “to press the UK Government to bring forward proposals making it an offence to operate a website hosting advertisements for prostitution”.
The DUP MLA explained that the websites “allow the advertisement and purchase of sexual access to women in a way that mirrors online retail”, arguing that they “reduce human beings to commodities and normalise the idea that access to another person’s body can be bought on demand”.
He added: “If Northern Ireland is serious about preventing exploitation and disrupting those who profit from it, we cannot ignore the role that such platforms play.”
‘Prevalent’
Ruth Breslin, Director of The Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute, told the BBC that pimps use the “prevalent” websites to advertise “often very vulnerable women, many of whom have been sexually exploited and trafficked”.
She warned of “serious problems” with implementing the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act, and urged authorities to take “much stronger action against sex buyers”.
The Belfast Newsletter reports that only one person has been prosecuted for purchasing sex since the Act came into effect in 2015. Detective Inspector Rachel Miskelly said the Police Service of Northern Ireland would “follow all available evidence and take firm and proportionate action where offences are identified”.
The Christian Institute supports stronger legislation against prostitution, calling for politicians to help women leave prostitution behind for good without legalising the sale of sex.
Trafficking survivor: ‘Prostitution is completely dangerous’