Spotlight on Human Trafficking: Mayo Public Awareness Event to feature experts and survivors’ stories

A powerful evening dedicated to raising awareness and educating the public on the growing crime of human trafficking will take place this Sunday, 12 May, at 7.30pm in the Grand National Hotel, Ballina.

The event, hosted as part of the Soroptimist International Republic of Ireland (SIROI) National Project, is co-organised by the Castlebar and Ballina Soroptimist Clubs. It marks a key moment in a two-year nationwide campaign titled "Hidden in Plain Sight," which seeks to highlight the often-overlooked reality of human trafficking in Irish communities.

READ MORE: Visitor to Mayo beauty spot describes public toilets as 'filthy and disgusting'

The evening will feature a panel of experts, including Detective Garda Niall Stack and Detective Karen Coghlan, who shared her experience in RTÉ’s "The Case I Can’t Forget," which focused on Ireland’s first criminal conviction for human trafficking. 

Members of the Garda National Human Trafficking Investigation & Coordination Unit and special guest, Minister Dara Calleary TD, Minister for Social Protection and Rural, Community Development and the Gaeltacht will also speak on the night. 

The event will explore how trafficking manifests in Ireland—through coercion, forced labour, and sexual exploitation—and the crucial role that public awareness plays in prevention. Organisers stress that many victims are “hidden in plain sight,” making vigilance and education vital tools.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing criminal industries worldwide and a grave violation of human rights. Victims are often lured with false promises and subjected to violence, exploitation, and inhumane conditions.

This event is free of charge and open to the public.