SalfordOnline

by holdthefrontpage staff

The Women's Institute has vowed to help root out sleazy sex ads from local newspapes after a plea from womens minister Harriet Harman.

The WI said it was prepared to "name and shame" newspaper publishers which carry adverts that could involve trafficked women.

Campaigner Isla Arundell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the WI was planning to collate members' findings for use next year.

Members will be looking for key phrases in sex ads and are invited to send letters personally to newspaper editors while the Women's Institute HQ will be collating information centrally.

Isla told Today the WI had the option to "name and shame" newspapers which published such adverts although its "absolute focus" was on helping the women concerned.

"We want to raise awareness and spread the message about what is happening with these girls," she said.

Ms Harman urged WI members to look through local newspapers to see if they carried the advertisements in a speech to its national federation yesterday.

"I hope that members of the National Federation of the Women's Institute will help protect women from being brought here, from abroad, and being forced into the sex trade," she added.

In February the Newspaper Society vowed to work with the Government to issue guidance to the local press and several groups including Newsquest and MEN Media have stopped carrying the ads.