Defending the human right not to be bought or sold for sex

Who we are

Beyond Exploitation is the Irish civil society campaign defending the human right not to be bought or sold for sex. We are creating an Ireland where prostitution is not seen as a solution to women’s poverty, where consent is not for sale, and where sexual exploitation is not acceptable. We are supporting the most vulnerable and silenced people in prostitution to have a voice. Our campaign is survivor led and survivor informed.

Our organisations witness the impacts of sexual exploitation on women, particularly those women struggling with addiction, migrant women, and trafficked women and girls. The Irish sex trade mirrors the international sex trade and the overwhelming majority of those selling sexual access are women and girls who experience the intersection of multiple, systemic oppressions and vulnerabilities including racism, insecure migration status, addiction, housing insecurity and income poverty.

The sex trade is an industry based on exploitation. We promote the Equality Model as the best way to end this exploitation and to challenge the profound gender and racial inequality and injustice that is central to the demand that drives the trade’s enormous profitability. The Equality Model holds perpetrators of this gender-based violence to account by making it illegal to pay for sex, to compel or coerce someone into prostitution, or to organise or run a brothel. The Equality Model means that any women who find themselves in the position of selling sexual access are not criminalised.

Our purpose

Our purpose is to end commercial sexual exploitation in Ireland. We will do this by developing exit strategies and providing more choices for women at risk of, or currently involved in sexual exploitation. We will develop and promote policies that prevent the sex trade from growing and make it harder for exploiters and traffickers to engage in grooming, coercion and exploitation.

Our objectives

To support the protection of women sold for sex, including victims of human trafficking.

To advocate for effective prevention and exit strategies for those exploited by commercial sexual exploitation.

To promote free, mutual and positive sexuality for women and girls and challenge their commodification and exploitation

To have prostitution recognised as a form of violence against women.

To build public awareness of the negative impact commercial sexual exploitation has on gender equality.

To support the full implementation of the Sexual Offences Act 2017 and related measures.

Our values

Equality

Fairness

Survivor-informed

Women-led and feminist

Respectful & compassionate

Embracing diversity and inclusivity

Valuing the dignity and human rights of all