It was a very exciting year at Ruhama: a year when we opened a new Cork hub to add to our Dublin, Limerick and Midlands branches; a year where we forged a strong partnership with the GAA to combat sexual harassment and violence in sports and a year when Ruhama was awarded the Charities Institute Ireland Charity of the Year. Read more below about Ruhama’s activities during 2024.
As we move towards 2025, we would like to take this opportunity send the warmest wishes for the holidays to all of our supporters, friends and collaborators over 2024 and particularly the women who access Ruhama’s services – they are an inspiration to us every day.
GameChanger project launched with GAA and White Ribbon Ireland
Game Changer is a new project aimed at raising awareness and action through sport to tackle Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV). It was launched on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in November 2024
This three-year project is a partnership between Ruhama, the GAA, and White Ribbon Ireland, supported by the LGFA and Camogie Associations, and funded by Cuan. GameChanger will seek to harness the positive influence of Gaelic Games to challenge the social and cultural norms that contribute to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and aims to deliver positive behaviour change throughout society.
Follow this link to see the Game Changer promo video and find the full Press Release here.
Media Coverage
- Campaign using sport to challenge gender-based violence – RTÉ Online
- Launch of ‘Game Changer’ | Domestic, Sexual, and, Gender-based Violence | GAA – Newstalk’s Off The Ball
Ruhama Annual Report 2023 and Strategic Plan Launched
GAA launch ‘Game Changer’ project to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence – Irish Examiner
Our 2023 Annual Report, launched in September by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, indicated that in 2023, Ruhama saw 30 per cent more women impacted by prostitution and human trafficking for sexual exploitation than in the previous year and saw a 29 per cent increase in new victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. The report was launched alongside the Ruhama Strategic Plan 2024-2028, the roadmap for the next five years. Ruhama was also delighted to announce Former Tánaiste, Minister for Justice and MEP Frances Fitzgerald as new Charity Ambassador with Ruhama.
Media coverage
- Sex trafficking in Ireland – how prevalent is it, what are the signs and what can we do – Ruhama CEO Barbara Condon speaks to Pat Kenny, Newstalk
- Sarah Madden speaks to survivors of the sex trade – Newstalk
- Gardaí may need more powers to arrest men paying for sex, as review of anti-prostitution law ready ‘within weeks’ – Independent
- Ruhama: 30% rise in those impacted by sexual exploitation – RTE
- Ireland experiencing ‘epidemic’ of domestic and gender-based violence – Irish Examiner
- Numbers trafficked for sexual exploitation rise by nearly a third, support group finds – Irish Times
- Ruhama Reports Shows 29% Rise in New Victims of Human Trafficking – Virgin News
- ‘Racist protests’ around country leave sex-trafficking victims fearing for their safety, says charity – Independent
Research and Reports
IRISH
- Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Project (SERP)
Commercial sexual exploitation: the impact of technology: Insights from the Irish sex trade
Read the research here.
Facing Reality: Addressing the role of pornography in the pandemic of violence against women and girls. Read it here.
- National Women’s Council of Ireland
‘Sex for Rent: An NWC Report on Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Harassment in the Rental Housing Market’ here. - DePaul Ireland
An Overview of Homelessness and Human Trafficking in Ireland. Read the report here. - RTE’s ‘The Case I Can’t Forget’ on the the complex investigation from Nigeria to Mullingar that led to the first convictions for human trafficking in Ireland included contributions from Barbara Condon of Ruhama and is available on RTE Player here.
INTERNATIONAL
- ‘Prostitution and violence against women and girls’ – Reem Alsalem, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Report here.
- UK: Not Safe Here: The systemic failures to protect women and children from sexual violence and abuse in asylum accommodation here.
- #ExitWound a limited podcast series, launched in 2024 and hosted by survivor leader Melanie Thompson of Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). The podcast invites you inside the raw conversations between survivors of sex trafficking and prostitution. Episodes so far cover myths and misconceptions, problems on the ground and leaving the life. Listen here.
Events and Campaigns
In October, we were delighted to announce that Ruhama was awarded Charity of the Year at the Charities Institute Ireland, Charity Excellence Awards held in the Mansion House, Dublin. CEO Barbara Condon was also the recipient of the ‘Trailblazer of the Year’ trophy at the Goss.ie Women of the Year Awards.
In May we were delighted to be selected as an Official GAA Charity Partner for 2024. Read more here.
In April we hosted Paving Pathways, Responding to the Complexities of Existing Prostitution, an online webinar to share the findings of Pathways to Exit: A Study of Women’s Journeys Out of Prostitution and the Response to their Complex Support Needs research by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme (SERP) in partnership with Ruhama and funded by Community Foundation Ireland. ‘Pathways to Exit’ is available to read here.
Meetings and Conferences
Ruhama lobbies and advocates for service-users on national and international stages. Below are just a few of the meetings attended by our staff in 2024.
In December CEO Barbara Condon briefed Irish MEPs and representatives on human trafficking and sexual exploitation. She was delighted to meet Ambassador of Ireland to Belgium Kevin Conmy, Permanent Representatives John Laffan & Eoin McLaughlin, MEPs Nina Carberry, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Barry Andrews, and a representative from Ciaran Mullooly’s office. This important meeting was arranged by MEP Maria Walsh.
In November Barbara was delighted to meet with Commissioner Mairead McGuinness at the European Commission. The visit was part of the Irish Migration Stakeholder delegation to Brussels, fostering vital discussions on migration and support for vulnerable communities
In July Barbara attended the An Garda Síochána Santa Marta Leadership Summit in Cork alongside Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and MEP Frances Fitzgerald.
In June, Ruhama Training Lead Mia De Faoite took part in the conference ‘Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery: Change in Ireland in its modern European Context‘ at Maynooth University. The one-day event discussed the challenges posed by human trafficking and modern slavery in Ireland.
Mia has conducted a huge amount of training this year, with representatives from numerous organisations from banks to hospitals and a multitude of frontline services. In addition to Know Sex Trafficking and Safety In Truth, our training department offers bespoke training that will work on particular knowledge gaps and training needs and tailor training session accordingly.
Supporters and Collaborators
There are so many individuals and organisations that contribute their time and resources to making the lives of Ruhama service-users a little brighter and more hopeful.
At our service-user Christmas party, for example, we celebrated with joyful karaoke, painting festive ornaments, and creating beautiful stars as part of the Ireland Star Weavers to End Violence initiative. A huge thank you to The Delicious Food Co. for generously providing the most amazing food – it truly added to the festive spirit.
Our amazing partners at Google and their brilliant team members Amber, Merit, Camille, and Corrine hosted us at their EMEA HQ a number of times during 2024. In June three of our incredible team Mia, Kim and Naz visited Google to deliver training about our services and to discuss various ways we can collaborate in helping women impacted by sexual exploitation to get on the road to a better life. As a result, Google staff were incredibly generous to Ruhama during the company’s ‘Giving Week’.
In February, Microsoft and Codec kindly hosted 20 Ruhama service-users for a Super ICT Skills Workshop- accompanied by Kim, Trish and Anne from our Education and Development and Bridge to Work teams. City of Dublin ETB, and particularly Andrew Connolly, CDETB’s Regional Literacy Co-ordinator, assisted with a laptop loan scheme for Ruhama service-users with funding coming from Adult Literacy for Life, an initiative that ensures that literacy is valued and supported at every level of society.
In March, a plethora of brilliant women made International Women’s Day at Ruhama’s Dublin office an engaging, colourful and fun event for our service users. Alison Byrne at Wild Bird Studio, Mary, Sheryl, Breege and Sue from the Irish Patchwork Society, dance and capoeira facilitator Alessandra Azevedo, Anne Tannam from Poetry Ireland / Éigse Éireann, Liz from The Marie Keating Foundation and, last but not least, Consider it Cakes all contributed to the activities, joy, and delicious treats! The women from the Irish Patchwork Society also facilitated a workshop in May and put together the magnificent piece pictured above. It’s made up of beautiful flowers that were created by our service users and hangs with pride of place in our Dublin office.
Intercultural Group
The Ruhama Intercultural Group is a particular source of fun and enjoyment for service-users. Organised and facilitated by Ruhama’s Naz and Mia, up to 20 women attend each event, forging friendships, learning skills and most importantly having fun.
In December, the Group had a great visit to the Mansion House and tour of the Dail organised by Ruhama’s ambassador Frances Fitzgerald. Thank you to Lord Mayor of Dublin James Geoghegan for welcoming us to the Mansion House and Colm Brophy TD for the Dail tour. In November, Fya and Naseem from Fya Mosaic hosted a Mosaic Workshop. Our service users loved this creative and grounding activity, followed by delicious fish and chips from our favourite neighbours Leo Burdock’s. In July, Adeniyi and Tomilola from the African Gospel Choir Dublin facilitated a fabulous workshop for our service users- the women sang their hearts out to ‘This Little Light Of Mine’ followed by some individual tribal dancing and songs.
April saw the Group visiting Dublinia where they walked where Vikings walked before, travelled back to the city in Viking Times and stepped into Medieval Dublin to find out about the city’s rich past. In March they were plaining and purling alongside Siofra Egan and Nicole Holbrook of Soundless Art who facilitated a wonderful knitting session that included not only needle skills but a little bit of the history of knitting and textiles in Ireland.
In February Talita and Alessandra Azevedo, Afro-Brazilian dance facilitators in Ireland introduced our service-users to Afro-Brazilian Dance. They had a great time as they took part in the most energetic warm up and choreography, including short breaks to explain the historical contexts. The ease of movements, the valorisation of the culture and the resilience and community sense of a people are evident in the dances and we were delighted to see this wonderful practice in action.
These activities were interspersed with informal meet-ups at the Ruhama offices, where the women sat back, relaxed and shared food and stories. Women come from miles around to take part and we are really looking forward to more fun times in 2025!
RUNNING (and swimming and cycling) FOR RUHAMA
Many funds have been raised this year for Ruhama’s service-users. Ruhama’s Education & Development Officer Trish O’Brien ran in the Irish Life Dublin Marathon in aid of Ruhama in October and raised funds to go towards laptops. Limerick Caseworker Sara Wallace completed the Ironman 70.3 Bolton on Sunday in June, swimming 1.2 miles (1.9km), cycling 56 miles (90km) and running 13.1 miles (21.1km). Also in June supporter Lauren Quiqley ran the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon.
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