Ethics and prevention: how we counter exploitation

Sex work is legal in Switzerland. Human trafficking and restricting the self-determination of sex workers are crimes. These two sentences belong together. Yet they are constantly conflated.

Equating sex work with exploitation helps no one. It stigmatises the very people it claims to protect. This article shows where the line runs, what gingr.ch does against exploitation and where our limits are. No pathos. Step by step.

Why is free choice the foundation?

Because free choice separates legal sex work from a crime. That is not an opinion, that is Swiss law.

The Criminal Code draws the line in two places. Human trafficking is punishable under Art. 182 SCC. Then there is Art. 195 SCC, "encouraging prostitution". The article protects self-determination. Anyone who monitors sex workers or decides where, when and how much they work is committing a crime.

The FIZ Advocacy and Support for Migrant Women and Victims of Trafficking defines self-determination in sex work like this: sex workers decide for themselves which services they offer, which clients they accept and what their work costs. gingr.ch is a working tool for people who work exactly this way. Prices, clients, boundaries: all of that sits with the person behind the profile, and with no one else.

How big is the problem? The Swiss Platform against Human Trafficking counted around 200 newly identified victims of trafficking for 2024, 114 of them in the area of sexual exploitation. The true number is likely higher. If you want a closer look at the legal framework, you will find it in our guide to the legal situation in Switzerland.

What does gingr.ch actually do?

We check before a profile goes live. And we do not stop there.

• ID verification before activation: Every profile goes through an identity check (KYC). No confirmed identity, no activation.
• Content monitoring: Profiles and content are checked continuously. Unusual patterns feed into the review.
• Reporting channels: Suspected cases can be reported directly, by clients and escorts alike.
• Escalation to the authorities: Where there is concrete suspicion, we inform the competent authorities.
• Cooperation with specialist agencies: We refer affected persons to independent counselling, not just to internal processes.

The details are set out in our anti-trafficking policy. And our guide on how we verify profiles explains the checks step by step. We will not duplicate either of them here.

What can we not do?

Honestly: no verification in the world can see inside a flat. We check identities and content, not living conditions. Whether a person keeps their money, or whether someone in the background dictates the rules, is not written on any ID.

That is why two things count for more than any verification system: working reporting channels and counselling services that stand outside the platform. A platform can build hurdles and pay attention. It cannot prevent exploitation on its own. And we do not claim that it can.

How do you recognise exploitation?

By patterns, not by a single detail. In 2024, fedpol and a group of experts published a list of indicators for identifying potential victims (PDF in German). From that list and from FIZ material, warning signs can be derived:

• Someone else runs the communication. Messages feel scripted, a third person answers the phone.
• No access to their own money or documents. ID or earnings are held by third parties.
• Prices and boundaries are dictated by others. The person does not decide what they offer.
• Constant accompaniment. The person is dropped off, picked up and never reachable alone.
• Debts that have to be worked off, for example for placement or travel.

Important: a single sign proves nothing. When several come together, that is a reason to look more closely and to report.

What can you do?

As a client: report anything unusual. Either directly to us via the reporting channels in the profile, or to a specialist agency such as the FIZ. You do not have to prove anything. Checking is our job and the authorities' job.

As an escort: if someone gives you orders, manages your money or holds your documents, there is help that has nothing to do with us. You will find an overview with contacts in our article on independent counselling services. The counselling there is confidential and free.

Frequently asked questions

Does gingr.ch work with the authorities?

Yes. In suspected cases, we escalate to the competent authorities. We also point to specialist agencies that counsel independently of both police and platform. Both routes have their place.

What happens after a report?

We review the case. If the suspicion is confirmed, we escalate to the authorities. There is no automatic profile deletion without review. That also protects against false reports.

Isn't sex work exploitation by definition?

No. Voluntary sex work is legal work in Switzerland, exploitation is a crime. The dividing line is free choice. Equating the two talks over sex workers and makes real exploitation harder to spot.

Where do I find independent help?

At the FIZ and at the regional counselling services for sex workers. Contacts and services are listed in our counselling services article.

In summary

• Voluntary sex work is legal. Human trafficking (Art. 182 SCC) and encouraging prostitution (Art. 195 SCC) are crimes.
• gingr.ch verifies identities before activation, checks content continuously and escalates suspected cases to the authorities.
• No platform can see inside a flat. Reporting channels and independent counselling services therefore remain indispensable.
• Warning signs are patterns: communication run by others, no access to money or documents, dictated prices, constant accompaniment.
• Every report is reviewed before anything happens. Reporting costs nothing and, if mistaken, harms no one.

Want to know how the checks work in detail? Our verification process in detail is in the trust labels guide.