Results 2,641-2,660 of 2,980 for speaker:Marcella Corcoran Kennedy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I have a question for Dr. McGarry. Previous speakers talked about separating sex workers from trafficking and I cannot understand the thinking behind that considering the evidence we have from the anti-trafficking unit in terms of the successful prosecutions it has secured. Why should the two be separated?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I asked a question about the group Dr. McGarry interviewed. How many of the 19 were independent? What ages were they and at what age did they enter prostitution? Ms Regan will have heard a comment that prostitution was a need for some sectors of society. She referred to this in relation to rights. Could she expand on that? She referred, in particular, to someone who is disabled.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: Were they all operating independently? They did not have any reliance on a pimp, or whatever. They were totally autonomous.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I thank the witnesses for their presentations and their patience. As part of her research, did Dr. McGarry establish how many people were independent operators and at what age they got into prostitution? Were they working with another prostitute or pimp?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I thank Ms O'Connor for her presentation. Criticisms have been voiced, today and during previous meetings, of the Swedish model and Ms O'Connor also referred to it today. I ask her to expand a little on the issue in the context of the remarks of the critics. I would like to drill down a little more into that issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I am very concerned about the fact that the convictions referred to earlier related to minors. Has Ms O'Connor come across any evidence of minors being used for sexual exploitation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: The word compassion has been used several times today and I believe we are all compassionate and want to ensure that people get to live healthy and productive lives. Sadly, in this industry, it appears to be very difficult to get to the bottom of what is driving it. Is there any research available which indicates where the appetite for young people is coming from? A lot of research has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I wish to clarify the matter of convictions for trafficking. There was one conviction in 2009, there were five in 2010 and four in 2011. Three of those four convictions related to the accused exploiting children for sexual exploitation purposes. One was convicted for exploiting a woman for sexual exploitation purposes as well. I say this to clarify that there are cases being taken and won...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: On the evidence we have from the Garda unit and the Blue Blindfold, do the witnesses accept that there is a large amount of trafficking in this country which leads to many people ending up being sexually exploited in prostitution? I accept forced labour is also an issue. How do the witnesses see it fitting in with what they propose in terms of having sex work as a career option?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: There is information on the Blue Blindfold website. In any case, if Dr. Whitaker does not mind, I would like an answer to my question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: What I am asking is whether the organisation accepts that at the moment people are being trafficked into this country for the purposes of sexual exploitation. That is the first thing. How do those people fit in with Dr. Whitaker’s vision for sex workers in the future, which is that they would be autonomous and independent and that it could be a career choice?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: But we know that they are being trafficked into this country for the purposes of sex work and prostitution.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I am asking Dr. Whitaker whether she accepts that people are currently being trafficked – women, men and children. Does she accept that is the case and how does it fit in to what her organisation wants for sex workers in this country in the future?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I am talking about Ireland at the moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: No, but I will ask another question presently.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I thank Dr. Whitaker for her presentation. She has described prostitution as a form of work that can be chosen voluntarily. Where is the evidence that sex workers in Ireland are engaged voluntarily in the work? I have done a good deal of reading on the subject and listened to people who have exited prostitution. Much of the information we are receiving suggests that people enter...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: In the case of the people Dr. Whitaker represents in this country, how many have made the decision independently to choose prostitution as a way of life? Has their experience been positive in so far as they are working independently in their own apartment or are they linked in with pimps or other parties who control the finances? It is important to have these details in order to form a full...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: I was referring to the people Dr. Whitaker represents.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: Of the people Dr. Whitaker represents, are they all completely independent?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Review of Legislation on Prostitution: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy: How many are we talking about?