In your relationships with partners, friends or family, you should feel:
- loved,
- trusted,
- safe,
- respected,
- free to be yourself,
- free to make your own choices.
You shouldn’t:
- Feel forced or pressured into any sexual activity.
- Feel pressured by your partner, friend or family member to:
- Sell sex on the street, in parlours or online.
- Engage in other online sexual activities, for example setting up an OnlyFans account.
- Feel pressured by someone to have sex with them or anyone else, to pay them back for loans, accommodation or other favours they have done for you.
- You also should not feel like you have to exchange sex in order to survive, for example, in order to pay for basic needs such as food or a place to stay.
Concerned about someone else?
Here are some signs that someone may be experiencing adult sexual exploitation:
- They appear to be guarded, accompanied, or have their movements restricted.
- Show signs of physical abuse, such as cigarette burns, bruises or untreated medical conditions.
- Not being allowed to keep, or having limited access to the money they make.
- Showing evidence of being forced, intimidated or coerced into providing sexual services.
- Showing signs of change in behaviour and emotions.
- Going missing frequently.
- Receiving gifts or favours (i.e., lifts or accommodation for the night).
- Having an older or wealthy ‘boyfriend’/ ‘friend’ or relationships that have a clear power imbalance (i.e., stark differences of social background/circumstance).
- Social isolation – breakdown of relationships with family or friends.
- In foreign nationals, having a limited knowledge of English aside from sexual vocabulary. – reference
- Sleeping/living in the same premises in which they work.
What can I do?
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger you should contact the police on 999.
If you are concerned that you may be being exploited, or you are concerned about someone else, you can reach out to the Live Fear Free Helpline for support. The helpline can offer confidential and judgement free advice, information and support and is available 24/7.
You can contact the helpline on:
- Call 0808 80 10 800
- Text 07860 077333
- Email [email protected]
- Web chat https://gov.wales/live-fear-free/domestic-abuse-wales
- UK British Sign Language Relay – Always dial 18001 before the number you are trying to call.
- The helpline can also be accessed via the sign live app, you can download the app on google play, set up and account and then look for the live fear free helpline.
Our response to adult sexual exploitation:
In response to increased reports of women experiencing exploitation during the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020 Welsh Women’s Aid formed the All-Wales Operational group on Sexually Exploited Women. The group is committed to advocating for all survivors of adult sexual exploitation.
