Soroptimists launch campaign to combat human trafficking

A national campaign to combat human trafficking was launched by Mullingar Soroptimists last Friday, the eve of International Women’s Day, in the only town in the country in which a human trafficking prosecution has been successfully brought.

Speaking at the launch, Detective Superintendent David Nolan announced that Mullingar gardaí have now brought the first prosecution for conspiracy to traffic someone into the state, and that a man was convicted of the offence during the week.

He said that victims of human trafficking can be found in many settings – urban and rural. In Ireland, experience has shown that victims may be found in agriculture, grow houses, domestic servitude, restaurants, nightclubs, factories, streets, public transport, street corners, traffic lights, begging, in brothels, escort agencies, massage parlours, private houses or apartments.

Superintendent Nolan said the gardaí in Ireland were working closely with their counterparts in several other countries to combat human trafficking and reported that “we have had excellent co-operation” from the Nigerian authorities.

Detective Niall Stack, Detective Vincent Reynolds and Garda Karen Coghlan, who were involved in the human trafficking case, were in attendance at the launch in the Annebrook Hotel, as were Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, TD, Junior Finance Minister, Robert Troy, TD, Deputy Sorca Clarke, Cllr Liam McDaniel, cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, James Bourke, chairman of Mullingar Chamber of Commerce, Cllr Julie McCourt, Cllr Aoife Davitt, and Tom Allen of North Midlands Credit Union.

Det Stack outlined how the investigation started in 2018 and discovered that four women had been placed under what they believed to be a curse before leaving their native Nigeria for what they were assured were good jobs in Mullingar. Their passports were taken and they were forced into prostitution.

He said the case had touched him more than any other in his career – how vulnerable these women were and how easy it was to exploit them, and how Irish males used them.

The women worked in most towns and villages in Ireland, earning thousands of euro a week, working all hours of the day, and they never saw a penny, and mainly Irish men were using them, he said.

Det Stack explained that these girls were afraid that their families in Nigeria would be harmed. They did, however, make statements and the culprits were brought to trial and convicted. Det Stack recalled that the defendants each had a senior barrister, two junior counsel and a solicitor in court. The prosecution had one junior counsel and a solicitor. However, “a very successful prosecution” was brought.

“The victims are the strongest characters I have ever met,” Det Stack said.

Minister Burke marvelled that the events described had happened about 100 metres from his office in Mullingar – “hidden in plain sight”. He found it “fascinating and chilling to hear how such extreme violation of human rights can be done in our area”.

He said this was a significant case and a huge testament to the work of the gardaí.

Minister Troy said he was confident that a big cause such as this was not insurmountable to the Soroptimists, who are “huge advocates of big challenges”. He said we owe a debt of gratitude to the gardaí, who have “shone a spotlight into this area and reaffirmed the need for us to support the work the Soroptimists are going to do over the weeks and months ahead”.

“It is up to us to support them,” he said.

Sarah McCormack of Mullingar Soroptimists is the local programme action officer of the national ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ campaign to increase awareness of human trafficking. She said that human trafficking is the fastest growing crime industry in the world.

Sarah said that Friday’s was a ‘soft’ launch of the campaign and that an awareness event will be held in October. “We will be aiming to get everyone involved,” she said. “We have a blank canvas and we want you to talk to your organisations about human trafficking,” she urged those gathered.

Mary Wynne, president of Soroptimists Mullingar and District, thanked all who attended and in particular the gardaí “for having achieved so much”.