A newly established Stormont Assembly group is set to examine the operation of pimping websites in Northern Ireland.
The work will be undertaken by the newly created All Party Group (APG) on Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation, reports RTE.
The move comes 11 years after the Assembly introduced human trafficking legislation, making Northern Ireland the first – and still the only – part of the UK to criminalise the purchase of sex.
However, concerns have been raised that police in Northern Ireland are not fully exercising the powers available to them, reports RTE.
It is understood that since the legislation received royal assent in 2015, pimping websites have become the primary means through which organised crime groups profit from the exploitation of women and girls.
The group said a media investigation carried out in June 2025 identified thousands of potential indicators of sexual exploitation on two of the UK’s most prominent adult services websites, reports RTE.
An event is due to take place at Parliament Buildings today, hosted by the APG and the charity Care NI, to formally launch the inquiry.
DUP MLA Peter Martin, who chairs the APG, said the investigation is designed to shine a light on platforms that exploit vulnerable people, reports RTE.
“Commercial sexual exploitation is a reality within our society and pimping websites have facilitated and expatiated this exploitation,” he said.
“This inquiry will work towards exposing these platforms which have often hidden behind the veil of empowerment and safety,” he said, reports RTE.
DUP chairman Maurice Morrow, who originally proposed the legislation, said the Assembly had taken a decisive stance more than a decade ago.
“Over ten years ago, the Northern Ireland Assembly took a courageous and bold step against those who seek to exploit women and girls,” he said, reports RTE.
“The Nordic model is about protection, protection from commodification and exploitation, and we remain steadfast in ensuring that this legislation is providing optimal protection for victims.”
Jessica McDowell, a policy officer with Care NI, said tackling violence against women and girls is a key priority under the Northern Ireland Executive’s programme for government, reports RTE.
“It is a programme-for-government priority for the Northern Ireland Executive to combat violence against women and girls,” she said.
“If the Executive are serious about change, they must combat the harm from the sale of women in Belfast,” she said, reports RTE.
“On any given day over 300 women can be advertised for sale on pimping websites in Northern Ireland. This is illegal.”
“The law is clear, purchasing sex is a crime. If that law was enforced, demand would reduce and women and girls would receive better protection,” she said, reports RTE.
“It is time for action to be taken on the criminal gangs profiting from exploiting women online,” Ms McDowell added.
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