Data-driven method may help police combat human trafficking

“Online prostitution in Sweden is extensive, well-organised, and highly normalised,” says Lisa Kaati.

She is one of the authors of a new report published by the Swedish Gender Equality Agency.

By scanning the web, the researchers identified nearly 50 online platforms offering sexual services. They collected data from 34 of them and analysed 13,000 profiles presented on these sites. They also examined 30,000 reviews posted by sex buyers.

“Some of the largest websites have between 30,000 and 150,000 unique Swedish visitors per month. That gives a very clear picture of the level of demand,” Kaati explains.

The platform profiles reveal what the buyers are interested in. Through images, videos, and text, sex workers describe the services they offer. 85 percent of profiles belong to women, and the most common age listed is 24–29. Most are active in the Stockholm, Skåne and Västra Götaland regions, but sexual services are offered throughout Sweden.

Crimes reviewed like consumer services

The mapping also shows that risky acts are marketed, such as unprotected sex, BDSM, and various fetishes. And despite the fact that buying sex is a criminal offence, many perpetrators choose to review their purchase.

“More than 85 percent of the reviews are positive, but the language is strongly objectifying. In negative reviews, comments often mention that the person seems disengaged, stressed, or that there are signs of human trafficking.”

It is astonishing how openly the exploitation takes place

Lisa Kaati says that she and her colleagues were surprised by several findings in the study.

“It is astonishing how openly the exploitation takes place. No technical knowledge is needed to find profiles — anyone can go to a website and filter by age, ethnicity, and sexual acts.”

“Another striking finding was the sheer volume of crime reviews. The fact that nearly 30,000 reviews — many written in Swedish — are publicly available shows a deep normalisation of buying sex as if it was an ordinary consumer service.”

Signs of human trafficking

The researchers also found clear indications of human trafficking.

“We could see the same phone numbers appearing in many different profiles. Another indication was that particularly risky or degrading sexual acts were marketed across multiple websites.”

Kaati believes this type of research brings significant societal benefit. Data-driven methods provide a systematic overview of digital environments that are otherwise difficult to access. By analysing large datasets, the researchers have been able to show not only the extent of the marketing of sexual acts, but also patterns in how various websites are organised and coordinated.

“We are convinced that our technology can support the police in their work — for example, by identifying potential human trafficking. We also believe it can help police and outreach organisations find individuals who are especially vulnerable,” says Kaati.

Our technology can support the police in their work

Together with her colleagues, she is now expanding the research in several directions. They are conducting deeper analyses of the perpetrators’ reviews and aim to develop techniques for identifying additional risk indicators of human trafficking. The team is also working on a scientific article exploring how sex buyers perceive their own role, based on the reviews they write.

“This project connects directly to my research on the darker sides of the internet. I am interested in how technology can be used to analyse harmful online phenomena. Many of the methods we have previously used — for example in studies of election interference, indicators of violent behaviour, hate, and threats — can be adapted for this material as well,” says Kaati.

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Text: Åse Karlén