‘All consuming’ nature of prostitution
The serious, detrimental health effects of prostitution have been highlighted by women attending a frontline HSE health service caring for women in prostitution in Dublin.
A two-year study of 144 service users of the Women’s Health Service shows that for most prostitution is ‘all-consuming’, dominating every aspect of their lives.
Data and interviews with users of the Women’s Health Service (WHS) at the HSE, which was established in 1991, form the basis of a new study by the Sexual Exploitation and Research Programme (SERP) at UCD – ‘Confronting the Harm’.
The study reveals that women are experiencing persistent or reoccurring sexual and reproductive health harms arising from their involvement in prostitution.
These are as a result of the frequency with which multiple buyers have sexual access to their bodies and the demand for harmful and risky practices. This includes demands for oral, vaginal and anal sex without a condom and the practice of stealthing (removal of a condom during intercourse without the woman’s consent).
Women’s mental health and wellbeing are also negatively impacted with fears, anxiety, coping difficulties, stress and depression common features in the lives of women in the sex trade.
Women further disclosed the emotionally harmful realities of prostitution – having to emulate non-existent sexual desire for buyers, handling demands they find repellent or frightening, enduring physical and sexual contact they can no longer bear – and the cumulative negative effects these experiences have on their own sexual lives, identities, intimate relationships and ability to trust.
Watch
Ruth Breslin of SERP and Linda Latham of the HSE's Women's Health Service present the findings of their study with co author Dr Monica O'Connor.
Recommendations
- The continued need for the dedicated, specialist health service for women in prostitution provided by the HSE’s WHS is clear and should be extended beyond Dublin
- Sexual healthcare must be complemented by trauma-informed mental health and wellbeing supports, to counteract the grave mental health impacts of prostitution
- Holistic exiting supports are needed for this vulnerable and isolated group of women whose lives have been completely taken over by prostitution, supporting them to recover from sexual exploitation and rebuild new lives beyond the sex trade
- Improved identification and support is required for victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation
- The development of other forms of support, in particular peer support, is needed to combat the overwhelming isolation felt by women in prostitution.
A Survivor's Experience
Survivor, activist and Co-ordinator of the Beyond Exploitation Campaign gives her deeply personal response to the research. Read her deeply moving statement Here.
Response
Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) are in the frontline helping women and girls harmed in prostitution. Their General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha responds to 'Confronting The Harm'
Full Report
Read 'Confronting the Harm' in full. Full Report
Get Involved
Get in touch today for more information - email Jackie Harrison, our Direct of Philanthropy: jharrison@foundation.ie or call us on 01 874 7354