Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion are being offered free accommodation by men exploiting a government refuge scheme in exchange for sex, according to a housing charity.
Positive Action in Housing, based in Glasgow, says it is receiving direct reports from young women who claim sponsors registered with the Homes for Ukraine scheme have contacted them offering homes - with an apparent expectation for sex.
It comes as 16 refugee and anti-trafficking organisations warned of the programme's insufficient safeguards to protect women and children in a letter to communities secretary Michael Gove.
In one case submitted to PAIH, Glasgow Live reports a man contacted a young Ukrainian woman who was seeking information about Homes for Ukraine on social media on March 14.
This was the day before the scheme opened.
According to the charity, the man asked her to send photos of herself and tell him about herself, before sending her a link to Homes for Ukraine. She politely declined to send photos.
He allegedly replied: "Phase One is open on Friday. There are some people who are interested in coming to my house. So I need to make a decision. I am a doctor and live alone in a big house."
He is understood to have sent photos of himself sitting in first class on a plane, a picture of his sports car, and the rooms in a luxury house, including a hot tub.
The woman responded: "I'll probably use the official application, as I don't trust anyone in such a situation coming to a foreign country...I'm not looking for dating. And I know what some people use it for, I'm also not into some kind of escort."
He said: "I am doing this through the official route. I have registered and I can nominate one person."
The man then sent a screenshot of his official confirmation email from the UK Government's Homes for Ukraine scheme, followed by an offer of an "arrangement".
The quote added: "So, free accommodation, food, expenses, plus a monthly allowance. The other option for you is to register with charities in which case you will allocated randomly."
The young woman then told him she was fleeing with her mother, after which he declined to help.
The Daily Record has previously reported campaigners' concerns of Ukrainians being exploited by criminals and human traffickers as they flee the conflict in their homeland.
Unregulated Facebook groups have appeared, where vulnerable women and children, some as young as 16 years old, advertise themselves in the hope of finding a Homes for Ukraine sponsor.
Under the arrangements put in place by the UK Government, Ukrainians who have a named contact in the UK can be fast-tracked for a visa under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
Activists fear that the allure of a guaranteed visa could put people at risk of exploitation from unscrupulous traffickers.
Positive Action in Housing has worked for 20 years to arrange housing for refugees. The charity said it is currently arranging sponsors for 593 Ukrainian families and young people, around 300 in war zones and three people under 21.
Director Robina Qureshi said the Homes for Ukraine scheme was a breeding ground for "safeguarding breaches and unsafe situations on an industrial scale."
She said: "We are worried that Ukrainian refugees, especially children and young people as young as 13, confuse the official registered email from Homes for Ukrainians sent to those who sign up to the government register, and think the 'sponsor' is legitimate and cleared.
"Over five hundred Ukraine families, children and young people have contacted us for advice with visas and sponsors.
"The numbers of children and young people seeking to travel alone is alarming and unprecedented.
"Their parents are determined to get them out of war zones and are turning to social media to find 'sponsors'.
"We would not send foster children or children about to be adopted onto social media to find new mothers and fathers. So why are we doing this to the children of Ukrainians?"
The UK remains the only country to have rolled out a visa scheme for Ukrainians fleeing war. Other nations have opened their borders to put people over paperwork.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which administers the scheme, says households will be checked prior to refugees being allowed in, while adult sponsors will be subject to disclosure checks.
A spokesperson said: “Exploitation through 'sex for rent' or human trafficking is illegal and has no place in our society – those with evidence of law breaking should go to the police.
"We have designed our Homes for Ukraine scheme specifically to have safeguards in place – including robust security and background checks on all sponsors, both by the Home Office and local authorities.
“Registering your expression of interest in becoming a sponsor does not mean an individual has passed security checks, and all sponsors must go through these checks.
"For the safety of the applicant, no visa will be issued until these Home Office checks have been completed.”
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