Labour MP Tracy Gilbert has accused First Minister John Swinney of ignoring calls to shut down online 'mega brothels' that she claims are facilitating industrial-scale sex trafficking across Scotland.
MP demands action against pimping websites
The Edinburgh North and Leith MP has written to Swinney urging the Scottish Government to clamp down on adult websites that advertise prostitution. She argues these platforms are breaching Scotland's Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act 2015 and should be shut down.
Gilbert sent the letter nearly a month ago but says she has yet to receive a reply. She expressed disappointment, stating: 'If the Scottish Government are serious about tackling violence against women and girls, then it must take all action possible to clamp down on these pimping websites.'
Websites accused of enabling trafficking
In her letter, seen by the Daily Record, Gilbert claimed the websites are 'perpetrating the biggest sex trafficking operation in modern Scottish history'. She urged Swinney to intervene, writing: 'The Scottish Government must act now to shut down this organised criminality and stop industrial-scale sex trafficking across Scotland.'
In April, Gilbert called on Police Scotland to open a criminal investigation into operators of adult services websites such as AdultWork and Vivastreet. During a Westminster Hall debate, she argued that the structure of adverts—categorising individuals based on 'outcall' services where they travel to buyers—directly facilitates the movement of people for prostitution.
Report reveals scale of online exploitation
A report from the UK's Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner in February found nearly 63,000 listings of women across 12 websites at a single point in time. In just one month, the same websites received almost 41.7 million visits. The report described adult services sites as a 'ready-made tool for abuse'.
Gilbert's calls come after MSPs refused to support Ash Regan's Unbuyable Bill in February, which would have made it illegal to buy sex while supporting people in prostitution.
Responses from platforms and government
An AdultWork spokesperson previously said: 'AdultWork.com is a legitimate online platform where sexual exploitation is not tolerated in any form.' The company stated it has strict internal policies, cooperates with law enforcement, and proactively reports suspected trafficking. Vivastreet has said it takes safety 'extremely seriously', requiring age and ID verification for adult advertisers and referring suspicious content to national policing units and the National Crime Agency.
A spokesperson for the First Minister said: 'Commercial sexual exploitation, whether committed online or offline, is a form of violence against women. As powers to regulate the internet are reserved, we would back any person urging the UK government to take action in this area. We will continue to work with Police Scotland and partners to support victims, raise awareness of exploitation and tackle online harm.'
