WAR IN UKRAINE

Single British men offer beds to female refugees

A 43-year-old man told an undercover reporter that he would not sponsor a person who was unwilling to have sex, while other men sent messages that raised fears of sexual exploitation
A 43-year-old man told an undercover reporter that he would not sponsor a person who was unwilling to have sex, while other men sent messages that raised fears of sexual exploitation

Ukrainian refugees using Facebook groups to seek a safe home in the UK are being put at risk of sexual exploitation, a Times investigation reveals.

Within minutes of posting a message on the largest Facebook group for UK hosts, an undercover Times reporter posing as Natalya, 22, from Kyiv was bombarded with inappropriate and sexually suggestive messages from men seeking relationships.

Some men lied about having several bedrooms in their one-bed homes while another proposed sharing a bed, writing: “I have a large bed. We could sleep together.” Another sent a voice note that said: “I am ready to help you and maybe you can help me also.”

Natalya posted that she was searching for a safe home and sponsorship on several Facebook groups, including