Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 6 February 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed)

2:35 pm

Mr. Paul Maguire:

It is very difficult to answer that question, because we did not go looking for birth certificates. It would appear that the demand was for younger women. We set up a researcher with a profile to act as a prostitute on the website and most of the recorded calls from what were supposed to be potential clients were looking for people who were very young. One individual who we came across down the country caused us such concern that we reported the situation to the authorities. She appeared to be very young and younger than what she was advertised on the website. She appeared to be very much under the influence of something, and I do not know what it was. It would appear that the demand is for younger people.