Sex for Rent Bill stalls, leaving vulnerable students unprotected – The University Times

At the end of 2021, a Irish examiner Research revealed the disturbing intersection of the housing crisis and sexual exploitation. In an intensified housing market, more and more landlords are taking advantage of tenants by manipulating sexual acts as rent. Although “sex for rent” did not start with the current housing crisis, the scarcity of affordable housing increases the exploitative power of landlords. The 2021 investigation found online advertisements across the Dublin region offering accommodation or lower rents in exchange for sexual acts. The rapid pace of these ads sheds light on the reality of the sex for rent crisis.

The dynamics of a ‘sex for rent’ arrangement are never based on steadfast consent. Noeline Blackwell, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, raised immediate concerns following the adverts Irish examiner exposed. “It is consensual in that the tenant enters into the agreement, but he has no power.” she explains. Tenants who consent to “sex for rent” situations when faced with the alternative of homelessness lack the capacity to truly consent given thwarted power dynamics. The National Council of Women of Ireland explains that sex-for-rent practices are “an abuse of the relationship between landlords and tenants” and create space for gender-based violence. The precarious nature of the current housing situation in Dublin raises the stakes for many tenants seeking accommodation. Recent studies, including a Shelter Survey 2018 which found that a quarter of a million British women “have been asked for sexual favors or intercourse in exchange for free rent” have shed light on the disproportionate impact of sex-for-hire schemes on women. Migrants, people on low incomes or unemployment, students and people with disabilities often have even more difficulty navigating the tight housing market and are a vulnerable population when it comes to sex for rent arrangements. The National Council for Women explains that in these circumstances, landlords often exert more power and influence over the lives of their tenants while they are in such precarious economic and social positions. This increased power leads to greater opportunities for coercion and abuse, especially when sexual exploitation is introduced.

Dublin’s international student population is also at greater risk of being coerced into ‘sex-for-hire’ situations. The Irish Council for International Students found that 5%, a total of 37 people, of the 2023 survey participants had “either received an offer to rent a room in Ireland in exchange for sex, or seen a room advertised in exchange for sex.” These survey results show that 54% of those who witnessed a sex-for-hire scheme were women. This reflects the results of research conducted by the Women’s Council in recent years.

In August 2023, Sinn Fein proposed groundbreaking legislation in response to the sex-for-hire crisis. Sinn Féin’s proposed bill would amend the Residential Tenancy Act 2004 to criminalize any form of sex for hire, just as the Women’s Council, ICOS and members of the public had called for. When introducing the bill Eoin O Broin, Dublin Mid-West TD, reiterated that “seeking sex for money is a disgusting predatory form of behavior. It should be banned.” This is the case under Article 19 of the law account will make it “a criminal offense for a landlord to solicit or advertise sex in lieu of some or all of the rent for that rental.”

The bill was introduced in Dáil Éireann, stage one, and was debated in the House of Oireachtas last March. In an official statement emailed to The University Timesthe Ministry of Justice explains that “the Minister has made it clear that any accommodation provider who uses their position to deprive vulnerable people is completely unacceptable and has committed to tackling this exploitative behavior by offering or advertising accommodation for sex rather than renting is a criminal offence.” However, a long legislative battle awaits to strengthen the bill. Four stages of Dáil Éireann remain until the amendment is debated again before it can be signed by the President. In the meantime, according to their official statement, the Department of Justice is working closely with the Office of the Attorney General to draft provisions for this amendment.

In an emailed statement to the University timesthe National Council of Women (NWC) notes that “(we) welcome Sinn Féin’s focus on achieving positive change in the exploitation of sex for money. Any activity that keeps these types of predatory and exploitative practices under the microscope and on the agenda is valuable. However, we are not convinced that this bill will bring about the desired change.” The Council expresses its concern that this bill could completely sidestep the reality of the problem. More often than not, sex for hire ads are for single room rentals. According to the Residential Tenancy Act, someone who rents out a single room is not legally considered a landlord. The proposal states that landlords who advertise sex for rental will be penalized. “This means that they were able to continue this activity unhindered by the new law,” the NWC explains. The Council suggests that the Justice Department create a new and specifically named sex-for-rent crime, with clear labels of predatory landlords. They explain that it is imperative to “define the specific conduct involved so that it does not overlap or interfere with other legislation.” Although the recently passed Criminal Justice (Sexual Crimes and Trafficking in Persons) Act of 2024 will better ensure the protection and privacy of victims of sexual crimes, according to the DOJ’s official statement, the legal specificity prohibiting sex for hire is fundamental to prevent exploitative proactively combat housing. practices.