Through its innovative Netreach programme, Changing Lives has observed a concerning growth in the use of online platforms for the sexual exploitation of women, yet warns against measures which could be harmful to both independent sex workers and those subject to exploitation.
Adult service websites are often used by independent sex workers as a safer method of advertising their services or to provide sexual services fully online, however not everyone whose services are being advertised online are doing so consensually. Changing Lives’ monitoring of these sites has found that the number of advertisements are growing, and a higher proportion include indicators of exploitation. For example, in Merseyside in 2023 a snapshot of ASWs found 186 adverts – in March 2025 we found 1559 adverts across just the two dominant ASWs (Vivastreet and AdultWork). While these figures will include independent sex workers who have begun using online platforms, there is evidence that organised crime groups (OCGs) are increasingly using these sites to make a huge profit on the sale of women, bringing together organised immigration crime and sexual exploitation. While British nationals are also affected, the growth in exploitation online seems to be particularly linked to trafficking of migrant women in the areas where we operate.
Changing Lives has supported men and women in the sex industry for almost 20 years – both those engaging in sex work consensually and those experiencing or at risk of sexual exploitation. Our Netreach model of support provides outreach and support to people advertising sexual services online as well as those who have experienced other forms of online harms and tech abuse. Our highly trained staff use cutting edge tools to monitor online platforms – both platforms where services are advertised and sites where sex buyers leave ‘reviews’ - for indicators of exploitation and work with police to identify and safeguard women. Intelligence provided by Changing Lives has contributed to police investigations, and we are able to directly support women who may be distrustful of statutory services. Beginning in the North East in 2019, we expanded the model in 2022 when we secured 3 years of funding from the Home Office. The model is now delivered in the North East, Merseyside, York, Doncaster and the West Midlands.
There are those that argue that the response to the rise in online exploitation is to shut down the sites used by perpetrators, or at the very least to remove their posts. The argument goes that we need to make it harder for traffickers to advertise women, thereby disincentivising the practice of sexual exploitation, and that ethically nobody should be allowed to profit from the sexual exploitation of another person.
Changing Lives, however, does not believe that this is the correct response. Not only would this remove a source of income for sex workers and increase their risk of harm but, if adult service websites were banned, it would not stop the organised crime groups but merely drive it underground. To put it simply – when the problem is visible, we can do something about it. Pushing things out of sight not only makes it harder for services like Netreach to offer support but also makes it easier for perpetrators of exploitation to up the ante, exposing women to the worst forms of abuse.
Changing Lives instead advocates for the following measures to tackle the rise in sexual exploitation through online platforms:
- Wider rollout of the Netreach approach: Support needs to keep pace with the nature of exploitation, which means an increased online presence for those trained to recognise and respond to exploitation.
- Increased responsibility on the part of the providers of adult service websites: Those who profit from the sex industry have a responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of those who use their platforms, and we would like to see more providers take action to safeguard women.
- Measures to target vulnerabilities: Removing the means by which many sex workers make money will expose them to financial insecurity and will do nothing to address the issues which drove some to the point where they saw no option other than to provide sexual services online (this is not the experience of all sex workers but is reflective of the experiences of many women who access our services). Instead, we would like the government to address the numerous systemic issues which led them to this point – including housing, welfare, addiction and recovery, and mental health.
