Insights on legality, rights, and duties
The regulation of online sex work is once again attracting political attention in the UK. During the passage of the Crime and Policing Bill, proposals were introduced which sought to significantly alter the legal landscape surrounding the commercial sex industry. Alongside proposals to criminalise the purchase of sexual services, amendments
LGBTQIA+ people make up a significant, but often overlooked, proportion of sex workers in the industry.
The relationship between social media and sex workers’ safety is now central to any serious discussion of digital rights, labour rights and online harm. For many sex workers, social media platforms are not merely promotional tools, but part of the wider infrastructure through which work is organised, community is sustained,
Sex work is typically defined as a client and a sex worker, but, increasingly, we are seeing third parties involved: managers, agencies, receptionists, and others who organise, advertise, or facilitate work. In the UK, with its complicated legal framework around sex work, these roles need to be carefully balanced to
On 3 February 2026, the Scottish Parliament rejected Ash Regan MSP’s attempt to introduce a Nordic Model-style law on sex work. The Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill fell at Stage 1 after MSPs voted 54 in favour and 64 against the motion to agree to its general
After being implemented in July 2025, SimpleMedia by SimpleEscort considers the impact of the Online Safety Act for workers and their clients. If you are involved in the sex industry in the UK over the past 9 years, whether as a worker or a consumer, you will have been aware
A look into the legal status of sex work in the UK and why criminalising customers doesn’t protect workers Throughout my work as a sex and relationships journalist, I have spoken to countless women and LGBTQIA+ people active in the UK sex industry: from sugar babies, to dominatrixes, to
There is no denying the growing existence of the sex work industry. Millions of people globally rely on sex work for income. Whether due to poverty, unemployment, choice, or sex trafficking and exploitation, the market exists, and demand is not dying. Similar to most industries, the sex trade has been
Sex work is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of sexual acts performed in exchange for payment. These include prostitution, webcamming, erotic massages, fetish work, escorting, and sugaring. Therefore, all prostitution is sex work, but not all sex work is prostitution. A prostitute or escort is legally
