There's a warning that the pandemic has forced many sex workers to work in "more precarious" and riskier situations.
While full estimates are difficult, it’s believed there are at least 1,000-2,000 sex workers in Ireland.
Many of those have had to continue working during the COVID-19 crisis.
Kate McGrew. Director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, told Lunchtime Live it’s been ‘extremely challenging’.
She said: “We’re a resilient bunch, and adaptable people - but that’s in the face of having no support whatsoever from the Government at this time.
“Fewer people are [looking to buy sex], but [there’s] enough that people are still working. A lot of people are doing virtual work… we’ve helped them move their work online. That’s not an opportunity for everybody, so we’ve seen people working in more precarious and ad-hoc way.
“Even myself - who would typically work indoors... [I've] done a couple of car meets.
"It’s pushed us into ways of working that we wouldn’t have previously, and sometimes accepting calls we wouldn’t have previously when you see a dip like this in clients.”
Ms McGrew said accepting such calls - which they'd usually ignore - leads to fear of possible assaults.
Meanwhile, online sex work has also become more popular during the pandemic.
Ms McGrew suggested that many people are finding themselves in 'uncertain' financial situations, so have turned to such work as a way to earn some extra income.
Call for decriminalsied sex industry
It has been illegal to buy sexual services from a prostitute since April 2017, with nearly 60 people facing prosecution so far.
Sex Workers Alliance Ireland is calling for a decriminalsied sex industry, so workers can have "safe and licensed places of work".
Ms McGrew observed: “What we’re looking for is for women, men and trans people who are doing this work to be in spaces where they have as much negotiating power, agency and safe protections as possible.
“We would love to see viable alternatives - where we see people in the sex industry who don’t want to be there, they need to have alternatives for employment that realistically reflect their lives.
"[That would include] support for single mothers, trans employment opportunities, better inclusivity for our disabled people into the workforce. Of course, [there are also] students doing sex work for heightened costs of living.”
However, Ms McGrew said there will always be people who will choose sex work even with such extra supports, so it's 'only right and just' that they have a safe environment to work.
She suggested decriminalising sex work would mean workers would feel more comfortable contacting gardaí when they are victims of assault or other crimes.
