Unveiling Sri Lanka's Legal Landscape: Addressing Cybersex Trafficking Through Current Online Harassment Laws

Abstract

This research examines the efficacy of Sri Lanka's current legislative frameworks in addressing cybersex trafficking, using information from primary and secondary sources. The selection of doctrinal research was based on its capacity to conduct a thorough analysis of legal texts, legislation, and court opinions. The research indicates that while Sri Lanka has a variety of regulations that deal with online harassment and associated crimes, these laws do not expressly focus on cybersex trafficking. Legislation such as the Online Safety Act No. 9 of 2024, Penal Code 1883, Computer Crime Act of 2007, and the Obscene Publications Ordinance 1927, provide specific rules that may be used to address aspects of cybersex trafficking. Nevertheless, they do not provide thorough and specialised coverage to adequately tackle the problem. The main discoveries reveal that the existing legal regulations primarily address dishonesty, fraud, and unauthorised access, rather than the wider issues of coercion and exploitation that are inherent in cybersex trafficking. The report asserts that in order to successfully fight cybersex trafficking, it is imperative to combine current laws with more rigorous and precise legislative measures, while also providing more resources, training, and technological expertise to law enforcement. Comprehensive victim support services are essential for effectively dealing with this complex problem.