Tindr fake profiles set up to highlight sex trafficking in Ireland
If you're using Tindr in Ireland, you may have come across some of these disturbing profile pics.
It is all part of a campaign being run by Irish advertising agency Eighty Twenty in partnership with the Immigrant Council of Ireland to highlight the growing problem of sex trafficking in Ireland.
The fake accounts start off with normal profile pictures of the girls but every swipe reveals more of the physical impact and abuse faced by women who are trafficked. It then ends with information on the campaign which aims to tell the stories of these women and make men of all ages who buy sex aware of the consequences of their actions.
Cathal Gilen of Eighty Twenty explains why they chose to use Tindr to get the message across:
“This is the first use of Tinder in Ireland for a campaign of this nature and one of the first globally. Tinder has become an extremely popular app in Ireland, and it provides us with a unique, innovative and stand out way of communicating to men the issues faced by women involved in sex trafficking.”
Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, added why the campaign is so important.
"Sex trafficking is one of the most lucrative crimes with the sums involved on a par with those for drug smuggling and gun running, yet many people are not aware that it is a reality in communities right across Ireland."
"The Immigrant Council of Ireland is committed to using every possible opportunity to increase awareness about the activities of the thugs behind these crimes and the impact on their victims."
