The US software giant Salesforce is being sued by 50 women who accuse it of enabling human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children.

The women say they were “raped and abused” after Salesforce provided its marketing and sales software to Backpage.com and effectively grew its exploitation network as a result. The website was shut down by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2018 for permitting human trafficking and money laundering.

The lawsuit claims the $120bn (£91bn) Silicon Valley company publicly promoted its work with human trafficking charities while quietly profiting from the classified listings website.

Salesforce first entered into a contract with Backpage.com in 2013. The Telegraph understands that its most recent contract in 2016, which included 155 licenses worth $291,000. These licenses helped Backpage raise more money from prostitution by sending email prompts to post adverts, the suit claims. The women, referred to as "Jane Does", are seeking damages.

“Salesforce knew the scourge of sex trafficking because it sought publicity for trying to stop it,” according to documents filed in the Superior Court in San Francisco. “But at the same time, this publicly traded company was, in actuality, among the vilest of rogue companies, concerned only with their bottom line.”