Online forums show thriving illegal sex trade in Melbourne suburbs

GRUBBY brothel regulars are using a sleazy network of online forums to demean and rate sex workers, with one user ridiculing an elderly prostitute who fell off a bed and injured herself.

Almost 400 sex workers’ names and numbers were listed on one of the forum sites.

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A SLEAZY underworld of review forums where grubby brothel regulars rate sex workers reveals illegal prostitution is thriving in the suburbs.

Despite police reporting it is often too difficult for them to get evidence to prosecute illegal brothel operators, online forums show business is booming and locations are no secret.

Many operators are working under the guise of providing legal massage services in shopfronts — but their illicit services are openly and frankly discussed on forums.

Leader was sent secret documents detailing the forums where men rate legal and illegal sex workers on their abilities and leave degrading comments.

Forum users discuss Leader’s story. Picture: Supplied

In one post, a man boasted about having sex with an elderly woman, ridiculing her as she fell off the bed and injured herself during the process.

Men on one mentioned a Maroondah Leader report revealing community concerns about a massage shop in the outer east offering sexual services.

They discussed how the newspaper’s investigations threatened to “report and close down under-the-radar businesses”.

“Bloody concerned residents are making life hard for us,” one post said.

“It will just end up driving them underground.”

Another post in the same forum thread said: “None of the girls I spoke with had seen the Leader article. They thanked me very much in their usual way.”

Almost 400 sex workers’ names and numbers listed on one of these forum sites were also seen by Leader.

A concerned resident, who asked not be named, told Leader he was worried about these forums and the safety of women.

Men rate and review sex workers on the sleazy forums.

“There are a number of massage parlours listed on these forums which are illegal brothels that don’t adhere to laws which are meant to protect sex workers and customers,” he said.

Maroondah Leader contacted legal brothels in Melbourne’s outer east listed on the forum, who said they had no idea that their business or workers were being rated.

South Eastern Centre for Sexual Assault (SECASA) spokeswoman Carolyn Worth said online forums that personally attacked sex workers were not acceptable.

“To go online and post vilifying comments is rude and demeans women,” Ms Worth said.

Scarlet Alliance Australian Sex Workers Association chief executive Jules Kim said if comments were threatening and abusive, they should be brought to the attention of the site’s moderator.

Maroondah Police declined to comment.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Sara-Jane Delaney said they were aware of several websites where sex work was advertised and “our number one priority is always the safety of the community”.