11 'agency escorts' working in city

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Written by Administrator

Wednesday, 24 January 2007

There are 11 agency escorts operating in Galway, according to an Irish Examiner investigation of online prostitution.

In addition, there are nine female independent escorts and nine touring escorts working in the county. Escort Ireland lists three agencies for Galway. This compares to five female independent escorts, three agency escorts and one escort agency in Sligo, while Athlone has three escorts in one agency.

Ms Cliona Sadleir, Press Officer for the Rape Crisis Network, based in Galway, commented "Anything which aids the abuse of women and makes it hard to catch and prosecute who use women in this way and sell them as a commodity is to be regretted.

"The reality is and it's time we faced up to it, that prostitution has moved into every corner of Ireland. Prostitution has always been there, but the form and the way is traded and the way in which women are abused is new. There is no room for complacency around it. From our point of view, there isn't any form of prostitution, which is acceptable. We witness all the time that there are victims and there is harm."

The Irish Examiner revealed the figures in a special investigation on online prostitution yesterday (Tuesday). Loopholes in Irish law enable prostitutes to use the Internet to detail the vast range of services on offer, their price ranges, and their contact mobile phone number.

According to the article, the average price women, and in a very few cases, men are asking for their services is €150 per half hour. The more exclusive escorts charge as much as €500 per hour. The escorts are operating out of houses and private apartments, hotels and commercial premises that describe themselves as massage parlours. In most cases, the premises are close to the city centre or in the nearby suburbs.

In October, The Galway Independent, revealed that a website advertised a brothel just off Prospect Hill in the city centre. The website had a link to the services provided at the brothel, which included 'Strict Mistress and Domination' and 'two girl and lesbian shows'. It also offered call outs to houses and hotels.

The website featured pictures of naked and semi-naked prostitutes, said to come from a variety of European countries. The escorts were available for business from 10am till midnight daily. When contacted, a woman with an Eastern European accent quoted prices of €120 for half an hour and €200 for an hour. Call outs were €400.

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