Investigative action by an anti-slavery official, targeting illicit online platforms suspected of facilitating sex trafficking.

In a concerning development, Eleanor Lyons, the UK's Anti-Slavery Commissioner, has launched an investigation into "pimping websites" operating within the UK. The investigation comes amidst a surge in reported cases of sexual exploitation, with over 5,000 women and girls identified as victims in the last year.

Ms. Lyons described these websites as "chilling" and "hotbeds of exploitation," expressing concern about the ease with which criminals and traffickers can identify and sell victims online. She has stated that survivors of sexual exploitation were advertised online against their will.

One such website under scrutiny is Vivastreet, an adult services platform that claims to take safety seriously. The company has measures in place to detect, report, and remove potentially exploitative content. However, according to Ms. Lyons, some sites are ignoring trafficking red flags.

The investigation was initiated after a website investigation uncovered thousands of potential indicators of sexual exploitation on two of the UK's most prominent adult service websites, including Vivastreet. The sites are under scrutiny for using the same language to advertise women in different parts of the country, multiple women being advertised on the same phone number, and reports of coercive control in the reviews.

Vivastreet requires all adult category advertisers to undergo age and ID verification and screens ads via a range of indicators informed by police advice. A spokesperson for the company stated that the company takes its obligations seriously and has referred over 4,600 accounts via an industry-first referral pathway since 2022.

Experts, however, have pointed out that indicators suggesting exploitation could have "innocent explanations," citing examples like sex workers using different names and touring.

Ms. Lyons plans to speak to survivors, police, and Ofcom, as well as mapping adult services websites, as part of the investigation. She is calling for stronger regulations and laws to be properly enforced, including through the Online Safety Act.

The report from the investigation led by Ms. Lyons is expected to be published later this year. It is hoped that the findings will shed light on the extent of the issue and propose solutions to combat sexual exploitation online.

Prostitution is legal in England and Wales, but the controlling of prostitution for gain, sometimes called pimping, and the more severe crime of trafficking, are not. Organizations like ECPAT work internationally, including in the UK, to combat online sexual exploitation of children and trafficking and to support the removal of such content from websites. Websites typically implement age verification, content monitoring, and cooperation with law enforcement to detect and remove suspicious ads or activities related to sexual exploitation.

Investigative action by an anti-slavery official, targeting illicit online platforms suspected of facilitating sex trafficking.