Up to 70 brothels are being operated in Northern Ireland, an Assembly member claimed today.
Paramilitaries and so-called Chinese Snakehead gangs are trafficking vulnerable women and children into Northern Ireland, often from Dublin en route to other parts of the United Kingdom, according to Anna Lo, Alliance Party MLA for South Belfast.
Anna Lo of the Alliance Party
Ms Lo said: "The victims are predominantly women and children from poor countries or countries experiencing unrest. After being brought into the country illegally the traffickers use violent threats and coercion to force the victims to work against their will."
Ms Lo said up to 12 of the brothels were concentrated in south Belfast. She was speaking during a debate at Stormont on the exploitation of migrant workers.
The PSNI has created a team to examine trafficking for sexual exploitation and abuse. In July 2006 two Nigerian men were charged with facilitating the unlawful entry of immigrants.
Women's Aid believes 50 to 100 women and children may have been forced into Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Office Minister Paul Goggins has expressed concern about the increasing number of prostitutes. An estimated 4,000 women are trafficked into the United Kingdom for abuse every year.