As reports of human trafficking in the UK reach record highs, some MPs are doubling down on a failed approach: blaming sex work itself rather than the systems that allow exploitation to flourish. Labour MP Sarah Russell recently urged men to “just stop” paying for sex, claiming that reducing demand would curb trafficking. But this simplistic stance ignores the reality that criminalization does nothing to prevent trafficking—it only makes the sex industry more dangerous for those working in it.

Meanwhile, trafficking victims remain trapped, and survivors seeking help from the state are being re-trafficked due to government inaction. So why are MPs focusing on “ending demand” instead of fixing the policies that enable trafficking?

Government failures leave trafficking victims vulnerable

While Russell and other MPs pointed to the role of demand in trafficking, Labour MP Chris Murray emphasized another critical issue. The government’s failure to support survivors. The average wait time for a decision on an NRM case is now 831 days. That means more than two years in limbo. In a report by The Independent, he states:

“The real-world implication of that is re-trafficking. Women who are trafficked for sex, who then come to the state for help, end up back in the hands of their traffickers because of our delays.”

This failure extends beyond sex trafficking. Migrants forced to work in appalling conditions, such as those locked in houses to farm cannabis, are also being abandoned by the system. Murray explained that instead of receiving the support they need, survivors are being retraumatized and left vulnerable to further exploitation.

“We should not be congratulating ourselves today on the passage of historic legislation, we should be hanging our heads in shame at what is happening under our watch,” added Murray referring to the recent 10 year anniversary of the Modern Slavery Act.

Home Office minister Jess Phillips acknowledged that the NRM is “not working”. While she pledged reforms, survivors cannot afford to wait any longer.

Criminalization of sex work fuels exploitation

While MPs debate legislative reforms, there’s a glaring omission in their discussion: the role of sex work criminalization in enabling trafficking and exploitation.

Criminalizing the purchase or sale of sex drives the industry underground. This pushes sex workers into unsafe conditions where they are less likely to report abuse or seek support for fear of arrest or deportation. It also means that victims of trafficking often go undetected. The criminalization of sex work discourages survivors from coming forward.

Instead of telling men to “just stop” buying sex—a strategy that has repeatedly failed to prevent trafficking—lawmakers should focus on policies that actually protect vulnerable people. That means decriminalizing sex work so that those working in the industry can report abuse, access legal protections, and work in safer conditions.

Read more