SAEDNEWS: The UK’s independent anti-slavery commissioner has launched an investigation into adult websites accused of enabling sex trafficking, raising concerns that online platforms are fueling the exploitation of vulnerable women.
The UK’s independent anti-slavery commissioner, Eleanor Lyons, has launched an investigation into so-called “pimping websites” amid growing concern about the exploitation of trafficked and vulnerable women through online platforms.
Lyons said she would be interviewing women who claim to have been trafficked into sex work and advertised on adult services websites such as Vivastreet, which allow users to browse photos and videos of women selling sex in their local areas.
The investigation follows a 2021 Scottish parliamentary study that concluded the speed and ease with which traffickers can advertise their victims online has “turbocharged the sex-trafficking trade.”
“Adult service websites, where you can type in your postcode and instantly find hundreds of women for sale, are a hotbed for trafficking,” Lyons said. She announced a call for evidence to assess the scale of the problem and stressed that, at a minimum, such sites must be far more heavily regulated.
Although platforms have a legal duty to report evidence of trafficking, campaigners warn that police often fail to identify victims. Lyons highlighted the inconsistent approach of law enforcement, noting that many exploited women distrust the authorities—often under instruction from their traffickers.
Indicators of trafficking include the same women advertised at multiple locations or the reuse of phone numbers across different ads, suggesting external control.
“I find it shocking that websites openly advertise women with so little regulation,” Lyons added. “There is alarming lack of awareness about these sites, despite the strong link between online sex ads and trafficking.”
A spokesperson for Vivastreet defended the platform, saying it is regulated by Ofcom under the UK’s Online Safety Act, and that it uses ID verification, content screening, and police collaboration to detect and remove exploitative content.
Some sex workers argue that moving online has improved safety by allowing them to screen clients. But Lyons countered that the shift has made it harder for charities to reach exploited women, who are now hidden behind closed doors in flats, Airbnbs, or private residences.
Ofcom confirmed it is monitoring compliance with the Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to protect users from illegal content, including human trafficking.
Earlier this year, 59 MPs proposed an amendment to criminalize websites that profit from prostitution, but the proposal was not brought to a vote. Lyons’s team will conduct interviews in September, with findings to be published shortly after.
