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This study seeks to explore the ways in which sex workers understand their experiences of working under sex work legislation in the Republic of Ireland, including laws that criminalise the purchase of sexual services. Participants reflected on their experiences of working in Ireland both and after the passing of [the] Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act In , the Republic of Ireland criminalised the purchase of sexual services and increased fines and sentences for brothel keeping. In , semi-structured interviews lasting 60 to 90 min were conducted with 6 sex workers from diverse backgrounds, ages 24β44, actively working in Ireland since Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim.
Transcriptions were used to conduct an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Seven themes arose from the data: psychological wellbeing, relationships with law enforcement, relationships with friends and family, the effects of client criminalisation laws on clients, benefits of sex work community, stress related to precarious accommodation and experiences of both discrimination and perceived discrimination.
Changes to sex work legislation appear to have failed in their mission to improve life for sex workers in Ireland. Other options such as decriminalisation should be considered. In the Republic of Ireland, sex work itself is not illegal, but many aspects surrounding sex work are criminalised, such as workers working in the same premises together Sexual Offences, In , the purchase of sexual services was criminalised, and penalties and sentences for brothel keeping were increased Sexual Offences, Gathering accurate data for numbers of sex workers in the Republic of Ireland is difficult due to them being a hidden population, often because of cultural stigma and fear of legal repercussions Ellison et al.
The majority of sex workers in Ireland, such as escorts or dominatrixes, work indoors; while a small percentage, street workers, work outdoors. Following efforts by historian Catherine Corless, the discovery of a mass grave containing the bodies of children was discovered in at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Galway. The Oireachtas is headed by the president but led by the Taoiseach or prime minister.
