Warning over prostitution at Olympics

WOMEN could be put at risk as the 2012 Olympics sparks an explosion in the demand for prostitutes, it has been claimed.

Thousands of site workers, spectators and athletes are expected to fuel a spectacular boom in the sex industry.

Health experts have warned the surge could increase the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

Police fear it may lead to more women sex workers being illegally smuggled into Britain to feed the lucrative demand.

Vice squad officers have already detected a small increase in the number of trafficked women working in the five Olympic host boroughs in London.

They are preparing to create a specialist team working alongside immigration and local authority officials to target those controlling the trade.

Frontline officers will also be briefed on what signs to look out for when women are being forced to work as prostitutes.

Officers have travelled to Lithuania in a bid to raise awareness of women being lured to Britain to work as prostitutes against their will.

One senior officer in Redbridge has applied for funding for specialist advisers to examine the extent of sex trafficking in east London.

Police analysts also expect a rise in reports of domestic attacks and possibly rape and sexual assaults as a result of increased drinking during the Games.

The warning was contained in a report published by the Metropolitan Police Authority yesterday.