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	A voluntary organisation helping women affected by prostitution says there has been an increase in the number of cases of sex trafficking it dealt with last year.</p>
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	Ruhama also says there has been an 8.5% increase in street prostitution.</p>
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	Face-to-face support for victims of both indoor and street-based prostitution increased by over 33% last year.</p>
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	Ruhama provided support to over 300 women from 37 different countries, including 88 victims of sex trafficking.</p>
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	The organisation said there is an urgent need to properly resource the garda unit set up to tackle the problem.</p>
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	It said the penalties for the crime are extremely small compared to the enormous profits that can be gained.</p>
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	It has called for tougher sanctions to be imposed on those convicted.</p>
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	It also said the Garda National Protective Services Bureau, which is responsible for investigating the crime, needs to be adequately resourced as a matter of urgency.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/1207/751734-prostitution/">http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/1207/751734-prostitution/</a></p>
