Commercial Sexual Exploitation

In an Adjournment debate in the House of Commons, Tonia Antoniazzi, the Labour MP for Gower, raised the issue of commercial sexual exploitation. She argued that the global trade in sexual exploitation, primarily against women and girls, has grown significantly in recent years, with sex trafficking being the most profitable form of modern slavery and the consumption of violent, misogynistic pornography reaching unprecedented levels. Antoniazzi emphasized that prostitution is a form of violence against women, as it involves the commodification of sexual consent. She shared the harrowing experiences of survivors, such as Crystal, who endured physical and psychological trauma from being exploited in the sex trade. Antoniazzi also read the disturbing words of a sex buyer, highlighting the harmful attitudes and actions of those who fuel the demand for commercial sexual exploitation. The MP urged the government to recognize prostitution as a form of violence against women and girls by adding it to the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, as the Scottish Government has done. She also called for the criminalization of paying for sex, as seen in countries like Sweden, Ireland, and France, to shift the burden of criminality from the victims to the perpetrators. Antoniazzi further emphasized the need to crack down on pimping websites that enable and profit from sex trafficking, and to implement safeguards to regulate the online pornography industry, which she argued is inherently coercive and fuels sexual violence. In response, Jess Phillips, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, acknowledged the gravity of the issue and the government's commitment to using every available lever to stop commercial sexual exploitation. She recognized that sexual exploitation disproportionately affects women and girls and that tackling violence against women and girls must be treated as a national emergency. Phillips stated that while the government is not yet in a position to make specific policy commitments, she assured the House that changes are forthcoming. The minister highlighted the government's current efforts, such as funding for organizations providing support to survivors and research to better understand the scale and nature of online abuse and exploitation. Phillips also acknowledged the different legislative approaches to prostitution in various countries and the need to explore options that prioritize the protection of women and girls from exploitation. She emphasized the government's determination to safeguard victims, bring perpetrators to justice, and use the Online Safety Act to ensure that online companies fulfill their duty to eradicate sexual exploitation from their platforms.