New research has uncovered what is being described as a heartbreaking and sickening litany of rape, abuse and exploitation for profit of migrant women in Ireland.
A report commissioned by the Immigrant Council of Ireland has identified more than 100 women and girls who have been trafficked into or through this country for sexual exploitation over a period of less than two years.
It also found that hundreds more women, the majority of whom are migrant women, were being sexually exploited for profit in the Irish sex industry, which is worth an estimated €180m a year.
ICI founder Sr Stan Kennedy said the level of exploitation of migrant women within the Irish indoor sex industry demanded a response from the Government.
Sr Stan said: 'This report uncovers a heartbreaking and sickening litany of rape, abuse and exploitation for profit of migrant women on Irish soil.'
ICI Chief Executive Densie Charlton said the findings showed that sex trafficking was a real problem in Ireland.
The study identified 102 women who were trafficked to Ireland for sex during 2007 and 2008.
11 of them were children at the time.
None of them knew that was the reason they were brought here.
These figures only represent the women who went looking for help.
The agencies who help these women say that Ireland has become a lucrative location for sex trafficking because of the high prices charged and therefore the high profits made by sex traffickers.
They say the fact that buying sex is not criminalised in Ireland also makes it an attractive destination for traffickers to do business.
Up to 97% of the women working in the sex industry here are migrants.
