SEXUAL exploitation cases in Northern Ireland more than doubled during the pandemic, according to calls made to the Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline.
An assessment of calls to the helpline in 2021 found that seven cases were reported last year, compared to just two in 2020.
Sexual exploitation refers to people being forced into prostitution and performing sexual acts.
In the UK as a whole, reports of sexual exploitation jumped by 15 per cent last year.
A total of 39 cases in the north, including modern slavery and labour abuse, were recorded by the helpline in 2021 - a 77 per cent rise on the 22 reported in 2020.
The helpline is part of leading anti-slavery charity Unseen.
Across the UK, up to 136,000 people are thought to be in slavery at any one time.
Justine Currell, Director of Unseen, said she is concerned the war in Ukraine could lead to a rise in reports of sexual exploitation.
"In a refugee crisis, when there are many vulnerable people on the move, you’ll find criminals trying to exploit the situation – and that includes human traffickers," she said.
She said most of the reports the helpline had received about sexual exploitation "are tip-offs about private addresses as well as online ads where the sex buyer has reported something to us".
"This crime is well hidden, yet often right under our noses," she said.
"I urge the public to contact us if they have the slightest suspicions about anything they’ve seen.
"I’m encouraged by the huge increase in potential victims of slavery contacting us this year for help and support, which make up a much bigger proportion of contacts than previous years. This suggests we’re getting our number out to the right people.
"But we also rely on the public and frontline workers in places like the NHS and police to contact us about anything they’ve seen.
"You can see the signs of slavery to look out for on our website, but if you are worried about anything, it’s always best to get in touch."
The helpline can be contacted on 08000 121 700.
