Joint Statement by Civil Society Coalition on Addressing “Sex for Rent” Exploitation and Protecting Renters

As a coalition of civil society organisations advocating for the prohibition of “sex for rent” exploitation, we warmly welcome the publication of the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026. This Bill represents a significant and long-overdue step towards outlawing the exploitative practice of demanding or offering accommodation in exchange for sex with a new specific named offence.

We also welcome the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, which rightly recognise the complexity of “sex for rent” and the need for a comprehensive response. In particular, we support the Committee’s emphasis on stronger protections for renters in informal or licensee housing arrangements, enhanced regulation of online social media platforms, and the roll out of a targeted awareness raising campaign.

“Sex for rent” is a form of exploitation that has been exacerbated by Ireland’s housing crisis and gaps in legal protections. For too long, vulnerable renters, particularly women, migrants, and international students, have been exposed to coercion, abuse, and harm from unscrupulous predators without adequate safeguards or recourse. The publication of this Bill sends an important and timely message that such exploitation has no place in Irish society.

While we strongly support the progression of the Bill, we emphasise that legislation alone will not be sufficient. Effective implementation must be accompanied by practical measures to ensure that victims are protected, supported, and able to access their rights in practice.

To that end, this coalition of organisations recommends the following actions:

• Ensure access to legal assistance and specialist supports for victims, including clear referral pathways, independent legal advice, and trauma-informed services.
• The inclusion of “sex for rent” exploitation as a form of violence within Cuan’s Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) Strategy.
• Provide dedicated training for An Garda Síochána on identifying, recording, and responding to cases of “sex for rent”, with a strong focus on victim-centred approaches.
• Prioritise protections for all renters, including those living in informal arrangements such as “rent a room” accommodation, who are often excluded from existing tenancy safeguards.
• Ensure effective enforcement of the legislation, including holding social media and online platforms to account for content published on their services through proactive moderation standards, clear reporting mechanisms, and swift removal of exploitative advertisements, under the remit of the Online Safety Commissioner. 

These measures should be pursued alongside the timely enactment of the Bill, together with the incorporation of our proposed amendments.

About the Civil Society Coalition for the Implementation of Sex for Rent Legislation:
The Civil Society Coalition for the Implementation of Sex for Rent Legislation is a collective of organisations committed to ensuring the introduction and effective enforcement of legislation to outlaw “sex for rent” exploitation in Ireland. The Coalition’s membership includes: Akidwa, Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) / Union of Students in Ireland (USI), the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS), the National Women’s Council (NWC), and Rape Crisis Ireland (RCI).