Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Vivastreet has met Scottish campaigners over women being sexually exploited on its controversial website days after we exposed evidence of trafficking.

Its head of UK operations Neelam Patankar arrived in Glasgow for talks with groups, including the Glasgow Violence Against WomenPartnership (GVAWP), that support abused women.

It is understood about a dozen people attended the two-hour meeting.

We also told how Traffick Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA) had seen a 42 per cent rise in the number of women looking for help.

(Image: Collect)

The National Crime Agency has seen a 40 per cent rise in men and women being trafficked in Scotland as cheap labour.

TARA and Police Scotland did not attend the meeting on Tuesday.

In an email sent to invited groups, Patankar said the meeting aimed to improve online safety of sex workers who advertise on the site. She said support groups were being offered free ads beside escort ads but would not comment outside the meeting.

(Image: Collect)

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant, who has campaigned against sex industry abuse, said: “They’ll continue to make money out of the exploitation of women.

“But in order to salve their consciences and appeal to other advertisers they’ve offered free advertising to outreach services. People may wish to boycott Vivastreet until it stops advertising commercial sexual exploitation.”

(Image: Getty Images)

Our investigation found four Romanian women feared to have been trafficked advertised on Vivastreet. The same user placed their profiles on the site. Three of the women were Glasgow based, the fourth was in Falkirk.

Posing as a customer, our reporter visited one woman, who spoke little English despite her ad saying she was fluent.

We handed our files to police, who are investigating.

Vivastreet is owned by the London-based Digital Ventures group, which has 150 staff and operates in 26 countries.

GVAWP confirmed attending the meeting “to hear more about their approach to women’s safety”.

(Image: Collect)

A spokeswoman said: “We welcome any actions taken to reduce the risk to those selling sex but continue to be concerned as the sex industry is inherently harmful as a recognised form of male violence against women.”

A Vivastreet spokesperson said: “We take the issue of exploitation seriously. As part of our commitment to user safety, we meet regularly with local police forces, women’s groups and

charities who support sex workers.”

Police said: “We welcome any information relating to potential victims of human trafficking including trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.”