The modern day slavery of sex trafficking must be urgently addressed.

Order of Business 1st April, 2010

Today, the Policing and Crime Act, which introduces measures aimed at tackling the heinous crime of sex trafficking, enters into force in the United Kingdom. The legislation shifts criminal liability from people who are exploited and does not allow a defence of not knowing that a person was controlled. This provision is much tighter than the provisions of our human trafficking legislation. There is, therefore, a danger that Ireland could become the red light district of western Europe, as people in the North, where the regime is tougher, move South. When Sweden introduced tough laws on trafficking that criminalised the purchasers of sexual services the measures drove trafficking of such persons to other Nordic countries. We need to tighten up our laws. We must decriminalise the sale of sexual services while targeting those who avail of them. The modern day slavery of sex trafficking must be urgently addressed.