On EU Anti-Trafficking Day: New OSCE report helps identify victims of human trafficking on sexual service websites

VIENNA, 18 October 2023 — A new report mapping the online landscape of risks of trafficking in human beings on sexual services websites across the OSCE was launched by the Office of the Special Representative and Co-Ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings to mark EU Anti-Trafficking Day.

“We have seen from research and experience that traffickers are abusing technology at every stage of the crime, from recruitment to advertisement and exploitation of victims,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. “Indeed, our latest research illustrates that online platforms have become the main infrastructure for criminals to advertise trafficking victims, including children, to a global audience of buyers.”

The report maps almost 2,900 sex services websites across the OSCE region containing more than 3 million ads, marking the most extensive research ever done on this subject. Of the 40 OSCE participating States that were analyzed, the report found that platforms facilitating possible exploitative sexual activity are a common feature in a vast majority of them. It also identified some of the key indicators, or red flags, that can be used to identify whether advertisements for sexual services could be featuring an exploited person.

Some of the key red flag indicators that could help identify cases of human trafficking on sexual services websites include references to nationality, advertising unconventional sex acts, physical attributes such as tattoos or “branding”, or photos of victims in dehumanizing positions or with blurred faces.

“Mapping risks is the first step to effectively addressing them. I hope this report will be useful for policymakers to enhance online safety and as a tool for law enforcement to identify victims online and prosecute their traffickers,” said Andrea Salvoni, OSCE Acting Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator.

Click here to download the full report.