Ireland Emerging as a Global Hub for Human Trafficking, NGOs Warn
Dublin: Ireland is increasingly becoming a global hub for human traffickers, according to NGOs working with survivors of trafficking. These organisations have raised serious concerns that flaws in the Irish government’s systems are facilitating the large-scale trafficking of women, children, and men into the country. There is also growing concern among voluntary organisations over the authorities’ failure to identify victims of child trafficking.
Sister Ellis Coes, RSC, a representative of one of the organisations aiding trafficking survivors, highlighted the alarming reality of organised gangs operating to “buy and sell” trafficked individuals in Ireland. Despite international criticism, these organisations allege that the Irish government has not done enough to address the issue. “If there is no demand, there will be no supply,” Sister Elise said, pointing out that the demand persists partly because some people in Ireland support it by buying sex from trafficked individuals or by employing trafficked persons under exploitative conditions.
Sr. Ellis, a member of Act to Prevent Trafficking (APT), warned that there is anecdotal evidence suggesting that groups arriving in Ireland are even trafficking their own children and exploiting them on the streets of Dublin. She emphasised the need for a societal change to address the exploitation of women, children, and men. Ellis called for a nationwide awareness campaign, stressing that doctors, teachers, nurses, and the general public require more training to better understand and address the problem due to widespread ignorance about human trafficking.
Ellis spoke at a conference organised by the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles and the Society of African Missions, discussing the latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report released by the U.S. State Department. Mary Crilley, from the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork, expressed her dismay at the report’s findings, which she said reflect poorly on Ireland. “I live in a haven for sex traffickers in Ireland,” Crilley stated. She also criticised the ineffective specialist prosecution team and Garda unit set up to tackle trafficking.
Shockingly, over the past two years, no child victims of trafficking have been officially identified in Ireland, despite global figures indicating that one-third of all trafficking victims are children. In Britain, 46% of trafficking victims are children, while in Northern Ireland, the figure stands at 16%. According to official Irish government figures, the percentage is zero. However, NGOs argue this statistic is misleading, as hundreds of survivors have reached shelters run by voluntary organisations alone, revealing a hidden crisis that urgently needs addressing.
Irish Samachar English News
{OR} Kindly click to follow the Irish Samachar News channel on WhatsApp