A new parliamentary inquiry has been launched to investigate the role of online pimping websites in facilitating the exploitation of women and girls across Northern Ireland.
The inquiry is being led by the newly established All-Party Group (APG) on Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation, and will examine how such platforms operate, the scale of harm involved, and whether existing laws are being effectively enforced.
Its launch on Monday marks 11 years since Northern Ireland introduced landmark anti-trafficking legislation that made it the first - and still the only - part of the UK to criminalise the purchase of sex.
The law, passed in 2015, follows the so-called Nordic model, which seeks to reduce demand for sexual exploitation while offering support to those seeking to exit prostitution.
Supporters of the approach argue that demand for paid sex is a pivotal contributor to human trafficking and that decreasing it plays a critical role in protecting vulnerable women and girls.
However, concerns have grown that online pimping platforms have expanded rapidly since the legislation came into force, creating new avenues for organised criminal exploitation.
Campaigners have also raised questions about whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland is fully utilising the enforcement powers available to it under the law.
An investigation conducted in June 2025 identified thousands of potential indicators of sexual exploitation on two major UK-based pimping websites, prompting renewed calls for scrutiny and action.
Chair of the APG Peter Martin MLA said online pimping platforms have played a significant role in enabling commercial sexual exploitation, often presenting themselves as promoting safety or empowerment.
He stated: “This inquiry will work towards exposing these platforms which have often hidden behind the veil of empowerment and safety.”
Lord Morrow, who originally proposed the 2015 legislation, remarked the law represented a decisive stand against the exploitation of women and girls, highlighting that its core purpose was protection rather than punishment.
CARE NI policy officer Jessica McDowell said tackling violence against women and girls remains a stated priority for the Northern Ireland Executive but warned that illegal online activity continues at scale.
She explained that on any given day, more than 300 women are advertised on pimping websites operating in Northern Ireland, despite the law clearly criminalising the purchase of sex.
“If that law was enforced, demand would reduce and women and girls would receive better protection,” she said. “It is time for action to be taken on the criminal gangs profiting from exploiting women online.”
