Human rights law situates human trafficking for sexual exploitation as a manifestation of gender-based violence. All measures to protect victims must promote gender equality and use gender-mainstreaming tools in their development, implementation and impact assessment. Gender equality measures are key to both the prevention of human trafficking for sexual exploitation and the protection of victims and survivors. Accommodation is an essential part of the set of assistance measures for victims of trafficking. Recovery is impossible without access to safe accommodation that will discontinue the victim’s exposure to traffickers and risk of exploitation. Gender-specificity is a crucial feature for accommodation of victims of trafficking who are recovering from sexual and other gender-based violence. This report was commissioned by Ruhama, in recognition of the fact that accommodation for victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation in Ireland is deficient. 

P.31 Intersectional discrimination is a described as combination of sex and any other ground or grounds of discrimination including race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.72 Victims experiencing intersectional discrimination could include women with disabilities, women with dependent residence status or a dependent residence permit, women third-country nationals, undocumented migrant women, women applicants for international protection, women fleeing armed conflict, women affected by homelessness, women with a minority racial or ethnic background, women living in rural areas, women in prostitution, women with low income, women detainees, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or intersex persons, older women or women with alcohol and drug use disorders. 

P.38 Both EU Directive VAWDV and the recast EU Anti-Trafficking Directive identify that women experiencing intersectional discrimination are at increased risk of violence and provide for individualised and enhanced protection. Women affected by homelessness, women with a minority racial or ethnic background, women in prostitution, women with low income, and women with alcohol and drug use disorders are listed among those who face heightened risk of violence and exploitation. Specific support measures must be considered for people with disabilities and wherever intersecting forms of discrimination are present. 

P.99 5.1 Impact of housing stability on recovery - The frontline staff in specialist support services across Ireland provided insight into the current profile of service users. Victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation are a transient and vulnerable population who engage with support services irregularly but repeatedly. Many victims have young children, which can also impact their ability to escape or find accommodation. Caseworkers noted that dual diagnosis283 among victims of trafficking appears to be increasing. Victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation face intersectional discrimination when seeking and accessing accommodation for a wide variety of reasons. Most victims of trafficking are extremely marginalised individuals and some are still being exploited in various ways while seeking support. Frontline workers maintain that victims without stable accommodation are less likely to regularly engage with specialist supports…