Indifference and passivity from society do not merely ignore the problem; they may even be contributing to it.
They say that where there’s demand, there’s also supply, and that’s precisely how the market operates for anything you can imagine.
Logically, if everyone wants milk but farmers decide butter is the way forward, no one’s going to be too pleased.
Perhaps people could make do with some cream—the classic “better than nothing” compromise. But butter? You’re certainly not pouring that into your coffee unless you want to ruin your favourite drink for life. And that’s how it works with everything, even the sex industry.
If we shift from groceries to something a bit more “risqué,” the same rules apply, right? Disagree?
Sure, they’re not swapping butter for milk, but plenty of men are more than willing to overlook the fact that their “lady” has slightly larger feet and a deeper voice to fulfil their fantasies. Thailand? A prime example! Some men simply do not care.
Put simply, where there’s demand, there’s supply.
We all know it exists, that it’s happening. Countries pretend they’re bravely fighting against it—take Ireland, for example. But if they truly wanted to eradicate it, and if everyone was so outraged, why would they even allow escort websites to exist?
The financial benefits may seem apparent. Prostitutes may not always pay taxes, but when one spends over a thousand euros a week on hotels, it undeniably injects money into the economy. Yet behind these numbers lies a darker truth. Consider the fact that there are currently around a thousand sex workers on websites supporting escort services in Ireland. That’s a significant sum of money. Factor in travel expenses, food, and other essentials, and suddenly, we’re looking at a substantial bit of economic support.
But let’s get serious for a moment—how many of those women are being forced into providing sexual services?
We’re all selfish, and if it doesn’t affect us directly, we often ask ourselves: why should we care?
But what if it was your daughter, your sister, or your mother? Imagine some heartless individuals taking her away from your family one day.
The poor girl, confused and terrified, suddenly finds herself travelling with strangers to a foreign country where she doesn’t even understand the language.
They treat her brutally, cruelly, and with contempt. Before she knows it, she’s in some grim accommodation with a few other terrified girls, all being paraded in front of a bunch of chubby older men who force them to do unspeakable things.
At that moment, the girl realises she has no other choice.
She has to do it, even though she doesn’t know why. Several of those men touch her daily while she clings to the hope that one day she’ll get home, that someone will find her, that someone will rescue her. The man leaves satisfied, his conscience clear. He’ll make himself a cup of tea, read a book, relax, and watch some rugby. Some might even kiss their wife and hug their daughters. But what about the girl? She’s left behind, broken, full of pain and sadness, desperately hoping for a way out. Each man takes a piece of her soul with him until that small, innocent person eventually becomes an empty shell.
Yes, some of these girls are lucky enough to be rescued. But even those who make it out have their souls shattered into a thousand pieces, and that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. So, what is the true cost of ‘human touch’—the unseen price?
Is it just a few dozen euros, or is it much more? How can the men who use these services be sure the girl is doing it because she wants to and not because someone has forced her into it? With some of the girls, it’s obvious they are independent, and some might even love their ‘calling’. But what about those who only act that way, those under constant pressure, and those who have lost something within themselves long ago? What about the ones who need help?
Many newspaper articles discuss this topic, particularly in Irish papers, where we read countless accounts of women who are slaves in the 21st century.
There is a lot of discussion and writing but not enough action. Some people can do no more than highlight the issue; given their limited resources, that’s admirable.
However, those who could do more, often remain silent or ignore it entirely. How many of you are willing to accept that we live in a world where suffering is considered normal?
In my book, I wrote about men who ended up in places they never intended to visit—places that sell young or underage girls. Being a visitor to such a place in Ireland ties your hands. Many of those who find themselves there are wrestling with their conscience, unsure of what to do—if they even have one at all. Others simply don’t care.
Those who do struggle with it can’t report anything without fearing consequences for themselves. In their case, going to the Garda would be like stepping in front of a loaded gun.
So they keep it all to themselves, hoping someone else will fix the problem, while women, terrified to death, suffer behind closed doors.
Much of what I describe here is something I have detailed in my book, based on my own experiences. These words are not drawn from statistics or reports but from the reality I lived through. My experience is not an isolated case, and at the same time, it pales in comparison to what others endure.
If these services continue to exist, and no one plans to ban escort websites (which in Ireland is like preaching water and drinking wine), the question arises: shouldn’t the websites themselves take more significant steps when registering new girls or verifying profiles, instead of just having them take a photo with a sign and date? Many Irish escort websites provide space for various profiles. However, there are concerns that these websites, without rigorous verification of new accounts, they may inadvertently contribute to the exploitation of women, including victims of human trafficking.
These websites provide space for advertisements that often treat the human body as a product. While their practices may be legally acceptable, morally, they contribute to a system that normalises exploitation and suffering. Advertisements for escort services, which commodify human bodies, may be technically legal, but they also support the trade of women’s bodies, many of whom have no other choice. Even though these websites may operate within the law, they contribute to an environment where exploitation is normalised and becomes standard practice. This is undeniable!
They care about matching appearances to photos, but they disregard whether the woman on the other end of the internet genuinely wants to participate.
I find it rather sad, but money is money. In 2023, advertising on escort websites for one girl for seven days cost €137. If a girl (or her ‘owner’) also wants to add a TOP to the advertisement to make it visible to a larger audience, it’s a similar price. By calculating €274 per person each week and multiplying that by the number of girls on the websites, the site owners’ earnings could total approximately even over €220,000 weekly.
The amount, of course, depends on the number of available profiles and how many pay for visibility. Even if we conservatively estimate five hundred profiles with basic advertising and no top-ups, the earnings for the escort website would still amount to €68,500 per week.
Why would anyone care about the lives of others when they can drown their soul in dirty money, full of pain?
Every person who supports this situation—whether as a client, an agency, or in any other way—is also supporting the pain and suffering that hides behind doors most people wouldn’t dare to peek behind!
-Anna Rajmon
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