WUNRN
European Women's Lobby - EWL
On the photo above: TV3 Host
Ray Foley and comedian Bernard O’Shea
8 April 2013 - Real men don’t buy
girls is the message of a major social media campaign being launched by the
Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) to highlight sex-trafficking and the early
age at which many girls enter into prostitution.
High profile men from Irish
music, sport and the arts have lent their support to create greater awareness
amongst young men about trafficking both in
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Real Men Don't Buy Girls!
Irish Men Unite Against Sex-Trafficking
Statement by Immigrant Council of Ireland
8 April 2013 - 'Real Men Don't
Buy Girls' is the message of a major social media campaign being launched by
the Immigrant Council of Ireland to highlight sex-trafficking and the early age
at which many girls enter into prostitution.
The campaign is aiming to use
high profile men from Irish music, sport and the arts to create greater
awareness amongst young men about trafficking both in Ireland and abroad.
Denise Charlton, Chief Executive
of the Immigrant Council of Ireland said:
"We are delighted that some
of Ireland's best known men are uniting to launch this important awareness
campaign and deliver the message that there is never any excuse for buying a
girl, either here in Ireland or when travelling abroad with mates.
In Ireland one in four people
sex-trafficked is a child.
The message of the campaign could
not be clearer and reflects what we know most men believe, 'Real Men Don't Buy
Girls'. Men throughout the country will be encouraged to add their voice to the
campaign on social media, where they will be encouraged to submit their own
photos.
As a frontline agency we know
that girls and young women are often being tricked into coming Ireland only for
the grim reality of their situation to dawn when they are picked up at Dublin
Airport and forced into a life of selling their bodies. This is something no
brother, young father or any man should find acceptable.
Through this campaign we hope to get
young men to reflect on this and ensure they are fully aware of the reality
behind trafficking. "
Broadcaster Dáithí Ó Sé, one of
the men kickstarting the campaign added:
"I am delighted to join with
men from all parts of Ireland to make a clear stand that there is no acceptable
level of sex trafficking. We know already that this is a crime which is a
modern day scourge and something which real men will never tolerate. Whether
away for a music festival, sporting event or on a stag party abroad there is
never an excuse for buying girls.
We must ensure that there is no
safe haven for traffickers and organised criminals who line their pockets by
trampling on the human rights of women and girls."