Deceptive Recruiting for Commercial Sexual Services

What must Prosecution Must Prove:

To secure a conviction for this offence, the prosecution must prove two key elements:

1. The defendant (A) must have deceived another person (B) about the nature of the engagement, specifically that it would involve providing commercial sexual services.
2. ‘A’ must have intended to induce person B to enter into an engagement for the provision of commercial sexual services.

What is sexual servitude?

Sexual servitude refers to a form of human trafficking where an individual is compelled to engage in sexual acts against their will, often under coercion, threats, or manipulation.

It typically involves a situation where the person is exploited through various means, such as:

1. Deception: Victims may be lured with false promises of legitimate employment, such as in modelling or hospitality.
2. Coercion: Individuals might be forced into sexual acts through physical violence, threats to their safety, or threats against their family.
3. Debt Bondage: Victims may be trapped in a cycle of debt, where they are required to pay off an unreasonably large debt to their traffickers, making it difficult or impossible for them to escape.
4. Isolation: Traffickers often isolate victims from their families and communities, limiting their ability to seek help or escape.

Factors and Defences to Consider:

• Did you intend to induce another person to provide commercial sexual services by deceiving them?
• Did you trick another person into agreeing to provide commercial sexual services?
• What were the surrounding circumstances of this offence?