Sex for rent is finally made illegal, with Ann Murphy

The exploitation of vulnerable women for sex in exchange for
housing was first highlighted by reporter Ann Murphy in 2020.


Young migrant workers with limited English and no network and
Ukrainians fleeing the war were among those Ann spoke to in her
reporting who had fallen victim. She identified cases all over
Ireland, including towns like Newcastlewest, Dungarvan and
Kinsale.


After a major Irish Examiner investigation in 2021 in which Ann
confronted landlords - including one married couple seeking to
fill a "granny flat" with a woman who would sleep with the
husband in return for accommodation, the issue reached the Dáil
floor and civil society organisations began to conduct their own
research.


It turned out that the increasingly widespread practice was not
illegal, with those women who braved the Gardai being told it was
a civil matter, while both the Department of Justice and Housing
told Ann it was a matter for Gardaí.


Now, with a new law introduced to tackle this form of
exploitation, Ann talks to Deirdre about the investigations, the
campaign for legal change – and whether she thinks women will be
protected under the new law.


Ann's journalism on this subject won the award for 'Campaigning
Journalism' at the Newsbrands Ireland Awards 2026.


Listen to the original podcast here: Sex for rent: The 'dangerous
h…–The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast – Apple Podcasts


Read our coverage here: Call for campaign to inform people most
at risk of sex-for-rent offers


Sex-for-rent laws won't help women who are already stuck


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