A charity for women involved in prostitution saw its caseload increase by more than 20 per cent last year.
Ruhama assisted almost 200 women affected by the underground sex industry in 2009, of which 66 were believed to be victims of trafficking.
Two of those helped were children at the time of being trafficked, with one girl aged just 15 when she was first brought to Ireland.
The organisation said nearly half of the women brought to the country were from Nigeria, with the majority located in Dublin.
The Immigrant Council of Ireland estimates there are at least 1,000 women working in prostitution in Ireland at any given time. However, this figure is seen as only being the tip of the iceberg with Irish based online escort websites alone offering services from hundreds of women.
Ruhama chief executive Sarah Benson warned that the figures in the 2009 annual report were only the tip of the iceberg, with many more women trapped in underground operations.
“Women in 2009 reported horrific levels of sexual, physical and emotional abuse,” she said.
“The reporting of rape and sexual assault was almost universal, many women also experienced sexual abuse as children and young women. Some were groomed by family members and partners into prostitution.
“Women reported having been punched in the face, the stomach, being kicked down stairs, beaten for refusing to have sex with men, being locked in and refused food, being burned, being bitten.”
Ruhama worked with 59 women through its outreach initiative last year and 137 women through its more intensive casework service, where each person is assigned a caseworker and a care plan.
But despite an increase in demand for its services, the voluntary organisation saw official funding cut by around 20 per cent last year.
Ruhama chairman Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí said the charity was severely limited by the lack of money available.
“We want to be able to continue to support these women and develop our services, but we are seriously restricted by the funding available to us,” he said. “We ask people out there who may wish to help to visit our website . . . and make a contribution.
Since it was established in 1989, Ruhama has supported more than 2,000 women, many of whom have ended their link to prostitution.
It runs a range of programmes which include personal development, life skills, counselling, accommodation provision and education. The charity also provides ongoing assistance to victims of sex trafficking including crisis accommodation, befriending, advocacy, accompaniment and repatriation.
PA