[Brussels, 2 September 2014] Former US president Jimmy Carter has called on Ireland to take a lead in introducing legislation to target the buyers of sex. In letters to the Taoiseach (head of government), the Minister for Justice and all members of the Oireachtas (parliament), Mr Carter urged politicians to act with a “sense of urgency” to protect prostituted women and girls.
Backing a recommendation made by the Oireachtas Committee on Justice last year to criminalise those who purchase sex through prostitution, Jimmy Carter encouraged legislators “to adopt this transformative approach to ending the exploitation, abuse and trafficking of women and girls”. President Carter notes “the significant progress being made in Ireland towards passing laws that would seek to end the exploitation, abuse and trafficking of women and girls by targeting the pimps and the buyers of sex.”
“There is little doubt that public exposure in a trial and the imposition of a fine or jail time for a few men who are prominent citizens or police officers who were buying or profiting from the sex trade would prove to be an extremely effective deterrent,” the letter states. Prostitution, Jimmy Carter said, is inherently violent towards women and girls and politicians in Ireland should act to reform legislation “with a sense of urgency”.
The European Women’s Lobby and all signatories of the Brussels’ Call welcome the public position of Mr Carter towards the abolition of prostitution. While abolitionist policies are being seriously discussed as the way forward to reach equality, for example in France and Canada, the EWL and its partners hope to see Ireland lead the way and make the necessary changes to protect all women and girls from violence and prostitution.
Read here the press release of the Immigrant Council of Ireland.
Read more in the Irish Times, RTE news, BBC news.
lettre jimmy carter to irish parliament sept 2014
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womenlobby.org
11 May 2025
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