Sex-for-rent propositions to be criminalised under new legislation, says Helen McEntee
Said (sexual The Forward Law Helen For Human Intended Sex Justice 2023 Practices And Rent Outlaw Mcentee Amendments Trafficking) To To Minister Bill Criminal Bring To She Offences
Sex-for-rent proposals will be criminalised under new sexual offences and human trafficking legislation currently going through the Dáil, according to Justice Minister Helen McEntee.
She said she intended to bring forward amendments to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023 to outlaw sex-for-rent practices.
The bill is currently at committee stage.
Ms McEntee told the Select Committee on Justice and Equality in recent days: “I wish to advise the committee that I intend to bring forward amendments on report stage to criminalise sex for rent. We are still working on getting the amendments right but I wish to highlight that this will be coming in.”
She said the amendments would be contained in the section regarding consent.
It comes as a report published earlier this week by the Irish Council for International Students found one in 20 overseas students had either been offered a sex for rent proposal, or had seen an advertisement for such an arrangement.
A male Brazilian student was quoted in the report from ICOS about finding accommodation through an acquaintance before he got to Ireland. When he arrived here, he was shown the property by the landlord, who told him “the vacancy was for sleeping on the bed with him and asked if we could have sex”.
Another Brazilian respondent said: “A group of people said that I could only move in if I was willing to have fun with those who lived there and some other people who live there.”
Ms McEntee’s update on the issue comes as a bill published in September by Sinn Féin on the issue is currently waiting for clearance from the Bills Office, before it can proceed.
The bill, published by housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin, is the second bid by opposition parties to ban such arrangements since an investigation began in December 2021.
The investigation found properties across the country being offered at reduced or no rent in return for sexual favours, while those offered such propositions spoke out about the impact such offers had on them.
Mr Ó Broin’s Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Sex for Rent) Bill 2023 seeks to criminalise a landlord seeking a sex for rent arrangement. It would also criminalise the advertising of such offers under the Residential Tenancies Act.
In March 2022, the Ban on Sex for Rent Bill 2022 was brought by Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan.
Despite all-party support, the Ban on Sex for Rent bill was halted at committee level.