A CAMPAIGN designed to raise awareness on human trafficking in Ireland is on the cards for the Department of Justice.

The department are currently seeking tenders in relation to the proposed campaign -- the move follows a spate of incidents across the country in which gardai have found people suspected to have been trafficked into Ireland for sexual exploitation or labour purposes.

The key message behind the campaign is that 'human trafficking can happen anywhere' as the department wants to highlight that the problem can be found in small villages and towns -- not just major cities.

The campaign will comprise of a 'blue blindfold' concept. This will illustrate that if we close our eyes to this issue we will not see the crime -- 'Don't close your eyes to human trafficking'.

To highlight this message, the department explained in it's tender document, the illustrations used are always shot in 'everyday situations'.

It is intended to use a small number of the "blue blindfold" images in the poster and leaflet campaign.

A further image may be included which features a person of a different ethnic origin representing a multi-cultural society.

Adverts

The campaign will feature in a number of electronic and printed media resources as well as in a billboard and leaflet campaign. All text featured in the advertisements will be subject to approval by the Department of Justice and the gardai.

A 24-hour impartial telephone hot-line for the confidential reporting of suspicions of trafficking will also be in operation for the duration of the campaign.

The proposal comes four weeks after a court heard that a young woman found during a raid on a suspected brothel in Kilkenny may be a minor and a victim of human trafficking.

The court was told that gardai raided a house just metres from Kilkenny's High Street and arrested a young woman.

It is the second recent case involving a young female who gardai suspect may have been trafficked into Ireland. She eventually gave gardai her name and said she was from Nigeria -- but no records were found of her entering the country.

In June, gardai found a 12- year-old Nigerian girl in a house in the Castleknock area of Dublin by officers working in co-operation with the PSNI. She was put into care. She eventually provided her name and identified her home country as Nigeria but officers found no record of her entering the country either.

- Jane Last