Conway welcomes legislation to protect victims of sexual exploitation

Fine Gael Senator for Clare and the party’s Seanad Spokesperson on Justice, Martin Conway, has today (Thursday), said the publication of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2014 by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald TD, will provide new robust mechanisms to protect children from sex abusers who use the internet to stalk their victims.

“The new legislation is a great innovation in the protection of children as it creates a range of offences to make it a criminal offence to target children through technology and communications. In particular where an adult uses the web to contact a child for the purpose of facilitating sexual exploitation the offender can be jailed for up to 14 years

“In addition the Bill will make it illegal to pay for sexual services in line with the Scandinavian model of penalising the buyer but not the seller of sexual services.

“Having participated in the extensive hearings held by the Oireachtas Justice Committee on prostitution last year, I called on Minster Fitzgerald to act on the recommendations of the Committee to criminalise the purchase of sexual services.  

“I believe that this legislation will result in the reduction of the exploitation and harm of prostitution and sex trafficking and I look forward to it being debated in the Seanad.”