Visa restrictions putting migrant students at risk of falling into sex for rent trap
The unwieldy task of providing proof of accommodation is one of the requirements that must be met in order to secure a long-term student visa to study in Ireland. Mary Patricia Accor, the deputy chief executive of AkiDwA, the national network for migrant women living in Ireland, was one of the speakers at today’s major conference of the National Women’s Council (NWC) which addressed the link between housing insecurity and violence against women. Ms Accor said the necessity for this documentation could result in migrant students coming under pressure to find accommodation, regardless of the conditions. This applies particularly to foreign students who might also be relying on part-time jobs to finance their studies. “If there is a crisis already, then there is going to be higher chances in exchanging sex for rent,” she said. A survey carried out by the Irish Council for International Students in 2024, found that out of the 512 foreign students who participated, 14 women and 8 men had either received an offer of a room, or seen a room advertised, in exchange for sex. “The precise circumstances of the housing market in Ireland create a perfect environment for the exploitation of tenants,” found a report by the NWC, published in July 2024. One of the panels chaired by Shirley Scott from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, comprised of Ms Accor, Barbara Condon of Ruhama, a charity that works with women impacted by prostitution, Ruth Breslin from the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy institute (SERP) and Anne Marie O’Reilly, from the homelessness charity Threshold.All of the panelists agreed that fear of homelessness was a leading factor in the cycle that prevents women from exiting living situations that infringes on their human rights. “We’ve had a number of women report to us that they were sexually assaulted in the centre they were staying in, by either a staff member or a male member who was living there,” said Ms Condon when speaking about the sexual violence that women can be exposed to when they eventually do find temporary accommodation."The fear of becoming homeless prevents them from reporting this,” she added. When asked about what is required from the government and budget 2026 in order to support victims of sexual exploitation, the need for gender-specific residences was the dominant concern. “Gender specific accommodation, incorporating an understanding of gender based violence and its impacts,” was called for by Ms Breslin of SERP. "I think there are many grave human rights abuses happening inside our direct provision system, and that needs some very serious reform, if not dismantling,” she added. Further funding for existing resources and addressing the housing crisis in general, were also called for by the panel.
