Prevention of Modern Slavery within Sex Work: the role of Adult Services Websites

Lead Research Organisation: University of Leicester
Department Name: Criminology

Abstract

The landscape of where modern slavery and sexual exploitation takes place has changed over the past decade with the onset of digital technologies dominating the organisation of the commercial sex industry. Adult Service Websites, where most sexual services are advertised, negotiated and facilitated in the UK, have been identified as a space where offenders and traffickers can manipulate, entrap, coerce and force individuals into selling sexual services. Whilst the majority of commercial sex interactions are amongst consenting adults and legal, the role of ASWs in facilitating offending behaviour is complicated and least regulated. There are many agencies trying to understand this relationship, with national intelligence services understanding routes to trafficking and the police working to identify victims and target offenders. In addition there are first responders who deliver interventions to victims to assist with treating their crimes seriously and helping individuals move away from exploiters. This project, will for the first time, bring together a range of organisations who are working to prevent modern slavery in ASWs, in an effort to understand, share new knowledge and learning, and work towards strategies and actions plans that can reduce crimes of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The core partners in the project are the National Crime Agency, National Police Chief's Council, and the NGO Unseen. Together we will investigate how ASWs can be at the forefront of preventing modern slavery, what those who use ASWs to sell and buy sex think about the platforms, legislation to govern them and strategies to prevent harm. The design of the project includes survivors who will inform the research process, data analysis and knowledge transfer activities. Capacity building activities are built into the design by implementing a training programme for survivors around research skills, upskilling, employability skills and access to higher education. We plan to develop training for third party businesses around sexual exploitation as well as engage the ASW operators in developing transparent and robust mechanisms to prevent their websites harbouring exploitation. Our work will feed directly into government discussions, APPGs and other forums to bring this contemporary data to the places where modern slavery, sex work and policing are discussed at strategic and operational levels.
 
Description University of Leicester ESRC Impact Acceleration Account Event/Networking Fund
Amount £1,000 (GBP)
Funding ID ES/T501967/1 
Organisation University of Leicester 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2023 
End 03/2023
 
Title Survivor peer working group 
Description With our partnership with Unseen we engaged with ethical survivor involvement in peer research. We worked under Unseen's Survivor Involvement protocol and strategy to inform the setup of the project and the ethical approach to involving adult survivors. Peers were to be involved through participation in the advisory group, instrument design, implementation, analysis and the dissemination phase. We carried out a training and support needs analysis at the beginning of the project to ascertain what skills people bring, what they would like to develop for further personal and career development and if there are any additional requirements they may need to enable participation (e.g interpreting services, child care costs, travel costs and/or payment). We provided capacity building through a bespoke training package made up of six sessions over the lifetime of the project. 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact The peer survivor group played an active role in contributing to: 1. Instrument tool design 2. Research implementation 3. Data analysis 4. Dissemination of findings 
 
Description National Crime Agency 
Organisation National Crime Agency
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Our data will provide information to inform the development of the NCA/ASW group and influence whistleblowing, moderation processes and enhance reporting of 'red flags'. The APPG on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery will be the main conduit for the findings so these can directly influence government policy making processes. The Human Trafficking Foundation will also be a key recipient of the findings as an umbrella organisation to influence all sectors and stakeholders preventing MSHT. The proposed research collaboration will greatly advance understanding of modern slavery, specifically commercial sexual exploitation and better equip a wide range of organisations across policing, HMG and third sector to intervene effectively. The results will add value across the 4Ps harm reduction framework (prevent, protect, pursue and prepare) in which we work.
Collaborator Contribution Our contact at the NCA lead in facilitating the contribution of the NCA to this project providing an advisory, facilitation and stakeholder role. Influencing existing working groups: The findings of this research may be used for evidence and action planning in several organisations. The NCA have a subgroup specialising in knowledge gathering around ASWs and establishing appropriate working relationships with these external businesses. They are working towards implementing a voluntary code of conduct This research team will be utilising these sensitive relationships to gather new data and will provide a foundation for future stakeholder networks. The NCA will share understanding of the MSHT landscape in relation to online spaces, assist with engaging ASWs and facilitating the inclusion of ASWs who would not normally be accessible for research. The MSHTU will support in project design and input to research methodology, facilitate interviews with NCA personnel who offer insight and expertise on sexual exploitation, ASWs and policing and facilitate access to ASW providers whom the agency hold existing working relationships, for recruitment into the project. The NCA will also explore the potential to share existing closed knowledge with the research team.
Impact Using the findings to influence the work of government groups should target harden the industry against misuse by traffickers and disrupt MSHT offending, leading to swifter identification and more effective safeguarding of MSHT victims. This in turn will influence recommendations regarding the regulation of ASWs and sex work, policing guidance and operational practice via NPCC and future priorities taken by law enforcement agencies such as NCA. This research will provide evidence based support which can be used to develop a spectrum of ASW regulation options, either captured within the Online Safety Bill or independently, which can raise industry standards and target harden the online sex industry against MSHT and sexual exploitation. This approach aligns with current NCA, Home Office and law enforcement strategy and ongoing industry engagement with ASWs. The NCA are happy to engage in the findings in 2023 and explore opportunities to share knowledge across policing and with our wider HMG and law enforcement partners.
Start Year 2022
 
Description National Police Chiefs Council 
Organisation National Police Chiefs Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Professor Sanders is bringing together organisations who have been working on ASWs through policing and regulatory frameworks to utilise expertise to conduct novel and important research. Bringing in the NGO Unseen into these conversations regarding modern slavery and the role of ASWS in preventing and causing is an importance piece of the jigsaw regarding addressing exploitation in the sex industry.
Collaborator Contribution The working group has responsibility for formulating national strategy and operational guidance both for police forces across England and Wales but also for a range of partners who work alongside the police. The NPCC Sex work and Policing working group will act as a Core Partner in this project. They lead in facilitating the contribution of the police to this project and will have an active role as an adviser, facilitator and stakeholder in the dissemination and impact process. The working group has five priorities, namely: 1. Building a knowledge base from which to inform practice 2. Undertaking work to reduce the vulnerability of sex workers 3. Targeting those causing harm, in order to prevent and deter further exploitation 4. Building consistency of practice across England and Wales 5. Contributing to consideration of system reform The two priorities that are the core objectives include; reducing vulnerability and tackling those who exploit. The other priorities are enablers which enhance the extent to which we can positively impact upon the lives of sex workers. The contributions that can be made in kind through the NPCC leadership and the working group (of which Professor Sanders is a member) are in relation to additional expertise around policing and the work that has been going on with ASWS over the last 3-4 years. The NPCC will be able to facilitate interviews to relevant police personnel to discuss the research questions and bring insight into existing knowledge.
Impact There appears to be great opportunity for legacy with this project as it will set out the foundations of a key stakeholder network group to address operational concerns in the future. The NPCC would be happy to engage with the findings in 2023 in relation to SPOC training and pushing out the information to relevant police organisations. The findings will be incorporated into the training Sanders delivers with the NPCC Special Point of Contact for sex work across the UK.
Start Year 2022