UK Anti-Slavery Watchdog Demands Major Reforms for Adult Services Websites
The UK's independent anti-slavery commissioner has issued a stark call for a comprehensive overhaul of websites advertising sexual services, following an investigation that exposes these platforms as significant accelerators of exploitation for sex workers. In a groundbreaking report titled Behind the Profile: Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Through Adult Services Websites, Commissioner Eleanor Lyons highlights critical gaps in safeguarding and legislation, urging immediate action to protect vulnerable individuals.
Fragmented Regulations Fail to Keep Pace with Digital Evolution
The report underscores that a fragmented and ambiguous regulatory framework has not kept pace with the rapid changes in adult services websites. Lyons emphasizes that while working online can offer enhanced protections for some, many women experience severe exploitation through these sites. She reviewed data from 12 websites, interviewed 12 survivors, and identified legislative shortcomings for those engaged in webcam work or arranging offline meetings after online advertisements.
Lyons stated, "The era of adverts in phone boxes is behind us and has been replaced by a vast digital ecosystem that operates in public sight." This shift necessitates updated enforcement tools and support systems to address modern challenges effectively.
Alarming Statistics Reveal Widespread Exploitation
Using specialized technology known as the sexual trafficking identification matrix, the research uncovered disturbing trends. During a few days last month, the 12 sites analyzed had 63,000 listings and attracted 41.7 million visits in January alone. Of the sex worker advertisements examined, 59% displayed three or more indicators of exploitation or trafficking, with 39% showing four or more indicators.
Key indicators include:
- The same phone number appearing across multiple ads
- References to drug use
- Menu-based lists of a broad range of sexual services
- Claims of young age
- Phrases like "new to the area"
Ads were concentrated across the UK, with a heavy focus in London, as shown by a heatmap based on the research.
Rising Instances of Sexual Exploitation
These findings emerge amid a concerning increase in recorded instances of sexual exploitation. According to the national referral mechanism for suspected victims, referrals for women rose by 86% from 2020 to 2025, from 1,114 to 2,076 annually. For girls, the increase was 61%, from 504 to 811 over the same period. However, these figures likely underestimate the full extent of exploitation.
The report details how some individuals on adult services websites are trafficked and controlled by pimps or gangs, who manage their online profiles, arrange bookings, and take all earnings. Others may start consensually but become increasingly exploited over time, highlighting the platforms' role in gradual entrapment.
Targeting Vulnerable Populations and Harrowing Testimonies
One site was found to offer free premium accounts for those with academic email addresses ending in .edu, marketing the work as a way to pay off student debt. A survivor described this as evidence of the "gentrification of sexual exploitation." Testimonies from interviewees reveal the profound dangers faced:
One woman questioned, "How do you go behind a webcam to ensure a woman isn't being coerced?" Another explained how webcam exploitation desensitized her, making her vulnerable to trafficking. A third described how sex buyers used platform structures to coerce her into acts risking suffocation, spinal damage, and serious injury, leaving her fearing for her life on multiple occasions.
Survivors also reported difficulties in accessing support, with peer groups often being the most helpful resource. Shame and fear of blame prevented some from seeking help, while others endured violence, such as one woman who recalled being beaten on camera without screaming to avoid waking her children.
Call for Coordinated Action and Systemic Change
The report concludes that adult services websites facilitate entrapment, erode boundaries, and mask exploitation under a guise of autonomy. Lyons asserts, "If we are to confront this reality, our regulatory frameworks, enforcement tools, and support systems must all evolve together accordingly." This includes stronger controls on sites, an overhaul of regulations, and enhanced support for survivors to address this escalating crisis effectively.
