The technological world has enriched our lives with innumerable facilities, but along with it it has also opened many dangerous and scary paths. Recently a report by the ‘Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC)’ shook the whole world. This report revealed shockingly that women and children are being traded on the internet like ‘pizza’ or ‘product’. These websites, known as ‘pimping websites’, have now become the biggest centers of modern slavery.
Creepy truth: Trap of more than 60,000 advertisements
Commissioner Eleanor Lyon found in her investigation that these websites have become a goldmine for criminals. The report found that of approximately 63,000 advertisements analyzed on 12 major websites, approximately 60% of the advertisements contained hints of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. More than 4 crore people visited these websites in just one month, which shows the rapidly growing impact of this illegal business.
behave like a supermarket
Victim Mia de Faoit has described these websites as a ‘modern slave market’, where customers choose women according to their preferences, like choosing an item in a supermarket.
Painful stories of victims
Many women and girls are becoming victims of extreme exploitation and violence through these websites. One victim told that she had got tattoos done on her body so that if she was killed, she could be identified. Furthermore, if a woman refuses to meet a customer, she is given rape and death threats. The criminals themselves chat with customers in the name of the women, seal the deals and pocket all the profits.
Government’s tough stance: We are after these criminals
After this report came out, the British government and international agencies have come into action. Such laws are being brought in the Parliament, which will give the right to immediately suspend these ‘pimping websites’. Additionally, the Prime Minister has announced that tech companies will have to remove objectionable advertisements or images shared without consent within 48 hours. Now there is a demand to make age verification mandatory on these websites, so that children can be protected from such exploitation.
caution is safety
According to ‘Tara’, an organization that helps women victims of human trafficking, criminals often target women with weak economic status. There is often a big organized crime hidden behind the suspicious advertisements of ‘escort service’ or ‘massage parlor’ available on the internet. Therefore, it is important to carefully monitor advertisements on the Internet and such activities should be immediately reported to the administration.
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