Sex for rent: the hidden side of Ireland’s housing crisis

Darling Duran, a 38-year-old digital marketing graduate from Bolivia was looking for a place to rent in Dublin when an ad for a one-bedroom apartment for €700 a month came up on her Facebook feed.

When she met the man advertising the space, it turned out he lived in the apartment and she would have to share a bed with him.

This offer of sex in exchange for rent is something she and her friends have come across frequently in their search for accommodation in Ireland.

Their experience is reflected in the Irish Council for International Students survey which found that 5 per cent of female respondents had either received an offer to rent a room in Ireland in exchange for sex or had seen a room advertised in exchange for sex. The research also revealed severe overcrowding experienced by students who felt they had no other option.

Housing reporter Niamh Towey explains the difficulties international students face in finding accommodation; and Darling Duran tells of her personal experience.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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