Commercial sexual exploitation

There is no fixed or legal definition of commercial sexual exploitation. There has been limited public debate on what makes the difference between something being sexually explicit and sexually exploitative. The Women’s Support Project defines sexual exploitation as a practice by which a person achieves sexual gratification, financial gain or advancement through the abuse or exploitation of a person’s sexuality by abrogating that person’s human right to dignity, equality, autonomy, and physical and mental wellbeing; i.e. trafficking, prostitution, prostitution tourism, mail-order-bride trade, pornography, stripping, battering, incest, rape and sexual harassment. Sexual exploitation includes offering drugs, food, shelter, protection, other basics of life, and/or money in exchange for sex or sexual acts (Women’s Support Project). The Scottish Government definition of commercial sexual exploitation notes that it is harmful “irrespective of whether individual women claim success or empowerment from the activity”.

Human trafficking

Human trafficking and exploitation are complex and hidden crimes, as well as abuses of human rights and dignity.  They are not only international issues, nor are they confined to larger towns and cities, but can and do affect communities all over Scotland.  People can be exploited for a number of purposes – sex, labour, crime (e.g. benefit fraud and forced drugs cultivation), domestic servitude, sham marriages and organ trafficking. The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 created two separate offences of human trafficking and slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour (COSLA Migration Scotland).

There are common myths about human trafficking and exploitation, for example in Scotland there is no need for movement or travel to have occurred for human trafficking or exploitation to have taken place. You can find out more on COSLA’s Migration Scotland website.

Further information and support