PROSTITUTION-SOCIAL MEDIA-DATING APPS.

PROSTITUTION

IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND DATING APPS.

Times have changed, and even the sometimes called “oldest profession”, has gone digital through social media. Yes, prostitution in social media and dating Apps., are now inexorably linked.

Couples run the risk of infidelity, of which there are many forms. On occasion, couples will fracture because of a “third” in discord. But on other occasions it happens because one pays for sex. The “oldest profession in the world”; continues to grow, but now that you no longer have to go to the streets or a brothel, it is now easier. Sounds ugly but now you can have a catalogue online in Tinder, Facebook and elsewhere.

 COULD YOUR MATE PAY FOR SEX FROM TEMPTATION ONLINE?

Miranda Aldersley wrote in her article for the Daily Mail.com (1); how “Facebook and Tinder are fueling the soaring industry of online prostitution and sexual exploitation according to a worldwide study”.

Moving from the street to internet today, pimps today recruit young girls via “Instagram” and then put them up in apartments gotten through “Airbnb”; as was indicated by the anti-prostitution group the “Foundation Scelles”.

Following are some excerpts from the report “Sexual exploitation: News answers’ looked at trends in 35 countries”.

A GLOBAL ISSUE

According to the report, Tinder is the most popular tool to find prostitutes in Israel. In Zambia, students go to cybercafes, join WhatsApp, and Facebook groups to find pimps and prostitutes.

In France, gangs contact underage girls from welfare homes and high schools; through social networks such as “Facebook”, promising to make a lot of money. But not only in France, it is now global.

“This is happening around the world, from restrictive countries like China, to Germany where legislation is more lenient” said Ives Charpenel, head of the Foundation Scelles.

From a single computer, the criminals find their “products”, advertise them, and launder their money.

Governments continue to debate and grapple with the problem of balancing holding sites accountable and internet freedom.

 The US Congress recently passed a bill that allows victims to seek justices against website owners who knowingly facilitate the practice.

Multibillion efforts are being conducted by governments to shut this down. Recently Us Authorities shut down Backpage and indicted its co-founders.  In France the government shut down the site “Vivastreet” for the same reasons.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND DATING APPS., ARE CATALOGUES FOR PROSTITUTION

Notwithstanding international government efforts, the practice continues to grow. It is also evolving into highly complex situation, that despite efforts, has inundated society.

International gangs browse social media as catalogues to detect and enlist/entrap vulnerable women and young girls.

In her article, Nicky Harley (2) refers to the report “The challenges of countering human trafficking in the digital era”.  Technological advancements now provide traffickers greater anonymity. Social media platforms are used as catalogues to identify victims and grooming strategies. Among other use, is a psychological weapon where victims are threatened to upload compromising photos if they fail to comply.

A more passive recruitment, and much less risky to the traffickers, is provided by the internet. The bad guys scout social media for job seekers looking for employment abroad.

Key recruiters are often women, with the men tending to be kingpins who remain distanced.

“Human traffickers are using increasingly modern communication technologies. “From advertising and recruiting victims, to blackmailing them with photos and videos to control their movements”; said Catherine De Bolle, Europol’s Executive Director.

“Fighting human trafficking has become one of the EU and Europol’s top priorities”.  Increased capability of Law Enforcement agencies in the areas of data processing, decryption capabilities, and the creation of a cooperation framework with other authorities, internet companies and civil society, are the primary weapons of the effort to deter human trafficking.

EVEN IN SMALLER COUNTRIES

The situation is so grave that no country, not even the small ones, are sheltered from the situation.

In Guatemala, the article written on Nov. 2022, the “Prensa Libre” (3), also reports on the findings of the “Scelles Foundation”. 

They report that most of the messaging applications and social networks like WhatsApp, Tinder, Facebook, Snapchat, or Airbnb are used for prostitution; according to the study that analyzed the situation in 35 countries.

HELLO SOCIAL MEDIA GOODBYE BROTHELS

The destiny Rescue Organization (4) presents us with an analysis of why they think Prostitution is moving into social media.

Thailand and Philippines have closed thousands of entertainment venues where the sex trade was the primary reason for existence. The move for closures began with the Covid Pandemic but has continued through today.

CHILDREN NOW MORE AT RISK

Many pimps, sex workers and even children exploited there, were sent home without an income.  Despite this, child exploitation continues to run wild.

In the Philippines, the sex trade moved to social media completely overtaking the traditional venues. Child rights Networks ECPAT INTERNATIONAL (4), indicated that there has been a significant increase of activity by pedophiles since the beginning of the Covid pandemic.

Destiny Rescue agent Barnett says “many pimps are marketing and selling girls on social media platforms like Facebook, Telegram or Viber. He went further to state” (Child abuse is on) every messaging app., we use. We didn’t have to look very far”.

Whether they’re young, old, single or even married, online predators are now “ordering girls” just like you get a pizza.

Evolution has hit the prostitution trade, making it easier for the perpetrators to get away with it.

Prostitution evolution to social media and dating apps., is a sad reality which grows everyday with the help of ever improving technology.