RCNI Press Release 5 February 2008

Fiona Neary, RCNI Director, said ‘this is an important film for Irish audiences. Irish citizens and residents continue the sexual exploitation of children and vulnerable young adults in relatively poorer countries, under the veil of kindness and acting as a generous benefactor. Often these sexual predators are admired at home for their great charity, whilst the abuse and damage they perpetrate is hidden by the distance from these crimes.

‘Irish residents make wealthy tourists and are frequent visitors to countries which are very vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation. We have seen how in some countries this has been formalized into highly structured prostitution where the most vulnerable are exploited by wealthy visitors as just another aspect of sampling the local, with the most destructive of outcomes for locals. This is most usually perpetrated by straight Irish men. We have a long history of perpetrating abuse far from home. In the past this happened under the structures of the Missions and the Churches, and now continues through NGOs and charitable behaviours where a blind eye is turned to these sexual crimes.

‘In 1996 we changed the law so that the Irish State could hold to account those who had gone abroad to sexually exploit the vulnerable in other countries. To date no one has ever been prosecuted under this law.’

Notes:
• The RCNI is the national Rape Crisis Sector body, which provides a strong voice for survivors and is a catalyst for social change to end rape and all forms of sexual violence.

For information contact:
Cliona Saidlear: 087 2196447
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