It is now a popular topic on the late night chat shows on tabloid radio stations. This summer, an inevitable tragedy happened. As a result of having to work unprotected on the street Sinead Kelly, a young Dublin prostitute, was murdered as she worked. Politicians and high-ranking cops shed crocodile tears for the cameras. Few of them pointed out that it was their stringent laws that made Sinead Kelly an easy target.
Prostitutes can be, and sometimes are, charged with soliciting when reporting attacks to the police.
According to the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, this inhibits them from reporting attacks and increases their vulnerability. Despite the media image of our Garda 'Siochana', workers in this industry find precious little protection from the cops against such attacks. It gave the cops further license to harass prostitutes. Anyone found loitering with the intention of soliciting can be directed by a cop to leave that place immediately. Clients who pay for sex with minors are rarely prosecuted.