Trigger warning: this article discusses sensitive topics, including sexual exploitation, pornography, and abuse.

Last month, Laila Mickelwait shared her powerful story at the Cambridge Union. The room fell silent as she detailed the harrowing reality of online sexual exploitation and the global battle to end it. As founder and CEO of the Justice Defence Fund and leader of the Traffickinghub movement, Mickelwait’s charity claims to be at the forefront of exposing how Pornhub and its sister platforms have been “profiting from rape, child abuse, sex trafficking”.

Mickelwait’s story – along with the accounts of thousands of victims that have surfaced since Traffickinghub began – show how sexual exploitation remains a form of modern slavery within the porn industry. As she told the students gathered before her, “the fight isn’t over” and with each new survivor speaking out, the urgency to demand change continues to grow.

The turning point came when a missing teenager was found in a Pornhub video after an anonymous tip-off. Curious about how non-consensual content could be uploaded so easily, Mickelwait tested the process by uploading a video of a rug. What she discovered was shocking: unlike most social media platforms which enforce strict ID checks, Pornhub had no system in place to verify consent or prevent illegal content from being shared. As a result, videos of underage girls, trafficking victims, and sexual assaults were being freely uploaded and monetised.

“How many young people […] are consuming non-consensual content?”

While not all porn involves exploitation or trafficking, distinguishing between consensual and non-consensual content poses a major challenge for moderation. This blurred line makes it tempting to separate what we consume online from our personal moral convictions. Yet, these stats expose a troubling digital reality that needs to be confronted. A 2023 survey found that a third of children have watched porn by the age of eleven, and 79% of teens have seen violent porn by 18. This raises urgent questions: how many young people, whether exposed through friends or social media algorithms, are consuming non-consensual content?

These figures are not merely incidental; they expose the inherent risks of an industry operating with insufficient oversight. Exploitative porn not only violates the dignity of those filmed but also acts as a double-edged sword, shaping harmful perceptions, desensitising viewers, and fuelling a cycle of demand that perpetuates further exploitation.

“Now is the time to open up the conversation and face these dark realities”

Men, who visit porn sites twice as often as women according to Ofcom, are particularly susceptible to adopting violent behaviours due to exposure to non-consensual and violent content. This, in turn, fuels sexual coercion, abuse, and negative gender attitudes, all which overwhelmingly affect women.

Now is the time to open up the conversation and face these dark realities. By rallying lawmakers, survivors, and activists, Mickelwait has shown that confronting these issues head-on can lead to meaningful change. Yet, despite some progress, the stark reality remains: Pornhub continues to profit from exploitation. Even after The New York Times exposé ‘The Children of Pornhub’ prompted Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal to cut ties, and led to Pornhub deleting 80% of its content in one of the largest internet takedowns in history, the platform continues to overlook blatant crime.

But, Mickelwait remains steadfast in her campaign for ethical reform to safeguard vulnerable individuals from abuse and trafficking. With growing momentum for stronger regulations (mandatory age verification, improved moderation, and stricter oversight), it is clear that legislative and technological reforms are urgently needed to break the new cycles of exploitation emerging from our digital age. Her talk at the Union was a call to action. Now, more than ever, we need clear, enforceable policies that prioritise human rights over profit.

The battle against sexual exploitation is far from over. It demands that we re-examine the roles of technology, legislation, and our collective responsibility in protecting the most vulnerable.

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