h"ps://doi.org/10.25392/leicester.data.c.6630017 Summary • The landscape where modern slavery and sexual exploitation takes place has changed with the onset of digital technologies dominating the organisation of the commercial sex industry. • Adult Service Websites (ASWs), where most sexual services are advertised, negotiated and facilitated in the UK, is a relatively new space where exploiters can manipulate, entrap, coerce and force individuals into selling sexual services. • The role of ASWs in facilitating offending behaviour is complicated and unregulated as national intelligence services try to understand routes to trafficking, the police work to identify victims and target offenders, and first responders deliver interventions to victims of sexual exploitation. • Researchers from the University of Leicester, (in partnership with the National Crime Agency, National Police Chief's Council, and the NGO Unseen) investigated what role ASWs can play in preventing human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the UK, and their role in wider policies and laws. Introduction This study explored the ways Adult Service Websites (ASWs) have facilitated and responded to modern slavery human trafficking (MSHT) and sexual exploitation online. The findings demonstrate the varied ways the internet is a tool for exploiters. Technology, then, is essential to disrupting sex trafficking online (Kjellgren, 2022). The multi-methods study comprised of semi-structured qualitative interviews with police (n=30) across 23 forces in England & Wales, practitioners (n=13) and ASW operators (n=5) and a survey with sex buyers (n=142). Central to the research process was a participatory action research approach with survivors of modern slavery, in partnership with Unseen. This briefing reports on the findings from the survey with sex buyers, exploring how they perceive their role in identifying crimes, barriers to reporting and how prospective further criminalisation will affect their purchasing practices. Background The survey yielded 142 responses from people who purchase sex on ASWs in the UK. Most respondents were aged 55-64 (31%), or 45-54 (24%), whilst 14% of individuals were 35-44 or 65 years and older and 12% and 5% were 25-34 or 18-24 respectively. The vast majority were male (92%) who purchased sexual services from cisgender women (98%) and many had been purchasing sexual services for more than 10 years (37%). Before being asked regarding their knowledge of sexual exploitation on ASWs, respondents were asked when purchasing sexual services, where they thought the majority of the money went. • 78.1% believe the money goes directly to the sex worker • 3.5% to a third party • 14.1% were not sure • 4.2% cited that the money gets split between the sex worker and their agency Prevention of Modern Slavery within Sex Work: the role of Adult Services Websites Sex buyers briefing Professor Teela Sanders and Dr Rachel Keighley https://doi.org/10.25392/leicester. data.c.6630017 Key messages 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sex buyers who utilise ASWs have oversight of adverts and have knowledge of potential indicators of exploitation. Most sex buyers understand themselves to have a level of responsibility, and if they suspected exploitation, would cancel their booking and in some cases, report to the police or ASW platform. However, most sex buyers say they are not aware of reporting routes on their chosen ASW platform and there remains significant barriers to reporting including: - Wishing to remain anonymous; - Lack of trust; - And believing no action will be taken. Nearly half of respondents trusted ASW platforms to give them information regarding sexual exploitation, suggesting that ASWs can play an important role in MSHT education and the promotion of whistleblowing. Sex buyers were concerned regarding the increased regulation of ASWs, but ultimately the majority believed there is a greater duty of care required to make online platforms safer for consensual sex work. Curren