Newspapers carrying prostitution advertisements should face the same penalties as men who pay to have sex with trafficked women, a campaign group has said.

Under new Government legislation, men can be prosecuted if they pay for sex with a trafficked woman, whether they knew about her situation or not.

Meanwhile, Croydon Community Against Trafficking (CCAT) said newspapers carrying ads for brothels are just as guilty for sustaining “a vile trade in human life” as the men who use them and should also be held criminally responsible.

Newsquest, the publisher of the South London Guardian series, banned the adverts from its 305 titles nationwide in 2008.

The company was persuaded there is a clear link between the adverts and women being trafficked for sex.

A CCAT spokeswoman said: “Newspaper publishers have a social and moral responsibility to ensure that they are not advertising illegal services in their pages - a simple phone call will demonstrate that many of the massage parlours advertised are actually brothels.

“Those that profit from people being sold against their will, are profiting from slavery, and this is completely unacceptable.

“Newsquest has taken a principled stand in this fight but other newspaper companies refuse to follow their example.

“Therefore we believe it is time for legislation to be introduced which criminalises the publication and distribution of the advertisements for brothels which are helping to sustain a vile trade in human life.

“It is high time publishers were made liable for what is advertised in their newspapers.”

CCAT welcomed news Labour ministers are considering criminalising publishers who run adverts for massage parlours and saunas.

A report into the sex industry, commissioned by MP Harriet Harman, showed more than 40 per cent of men access off-street prostitutes through local newspapers.