On 10 February 2022, Members of the Scottish Parliament debated a motion proposed by Ruth Maguire MSP to combat online pimping.
Pimping websites, which profit from advertising individuals for prostitution, currently operate with impunity in Scotland.
The motion "considers that pimping websites facilitate demand for prostitution by enabling men who pay for sex to quickly and anonymously locate women to sexually exploit; believes that pimping websites facilitate and incentivise sex trafficking by centralising and concentrating demand online and making it quick and easy to advertise victims".
> Watch Members of the Scottish Parliament speak powerfully about the urgent need to outlaw online pimping:
Ruth Maguire MSP's opening speech:
Elena Whitham MSP:
Russell Findlay MSP:
Collette Stevenson MSP:
Rhoda Grant MSP:
Bill Kidd MSP:
Paul McLennan MSP:
Ash Regan MSP, the Minister for Community Safety, responded: