Unseen Fears: The Dark Side of OnlyFans

On an August morning in 2022, a young woman escaped captivity in suburban Wisconsin and ran to the safety of a waiting police car. For two harrowing years, her boyfriend had trapped her, subjected her to severe abuse, both physical and emotional, and forced her to create explicit content for websites like OnlyFans.

An investigation by Reuters reveals the terrible reality some women face; uncovers cases where victims were manipulated, drugged, and forced to make money for their captors through platforms like OnlyFans. Despite the company’s claims about its security measures, examples of abuse hidden by subscription-based platforms continue to emerge.

Legal challenges continue, with platforms like OnlyFans embroiled in ongoing litigation under U.S. federal anti-trafficking laws. Concerns around digital exploitation in particular are further highlighted by the fact that high-profile figures such as influencer Andrew Tate are facing serious accusations of coercing women into sex trafficking using these platforms.

(With input from institutions.)