What Is 'Sleep Porn'? Investigation Uncovers Men Filming Sexual Assaults of Drugged Wives for Profit

A global network of online communities is exploiting unconscious women while perpetrators film and profit from sexual violence concealed within mainstream platforms. A months-long investigation by CNN's 'As Equals' series has revealed a sprawling digital ecosystem where abuse is not only normalised but actively encouraged, with men across multiple countries drugging their partners and sharing or monetising the assaults through online platforms.

The findings build on earlier cases that briefly drew public outrage but failed to dismantle the networks behind them. Investigators say the practice has evolved into a more organised and globalised phenomenon.

A Hidden Online Economy of Abuse

At the centre of the phenomenon is the commodification of sexual violence. The investigation reports that websites such as Motherless host tens of thousands of videos categorised under tags like '#passedout' and '#eyecheck,' where women appear unconscious or sedated, with some clips attracting tens of thousands of views. The platform reportedly recorded around 62 million visits in a single month, raising concerns about the scale at which such material circulates. While the site claims to host only legal content, investigators noted that 'the legality of some material posted is in serious doubt.'

Inside these communities, users exchange advice on how to drug partners without detection. German journalists Isabell Beer and Isabel Ströh first identified similar networks, later corroborated by the investigation's findings.

From Forums to Livestreamed Assaults

The most significant development uncovered is the network's shift towards monetisation. Investigators found chat groups where users allegedly advertise livestreams of assaults on unconscious women, with access costing as little as $20 (approximately £16), often paid using cryptocurrency to maintain anonymity. In one instance, a user shared footage of a woman snoring as he began an assault, using the clip to promote a future livestream.

Another individual reportedly claimed to sell 'sleeping liquids' globally, marketing them as odourless substances that would leave victims with no memory of the assault. 'Your wife won't feel anything and won't remember anything,' the seller allegedly wrote.

The Role of Online Anonymity

A defining feature of the network is the anonymity it affords perpetrators. Users operate across platforms, from niche websites to encrypted messaging apps, forming communities that validate and reinforce abusive behaviour. Investigators engaged with one such individual, identified as Piotr, who spoke openly online but resisted in-person verification. When journalists located him in Poland, they chose not to confront him directly, citing safety concerns, and instead alerted authorities.

Survivors Speak Out

Zoe Watts, from Devon, England, told the investigation she discovered her husband had been drugging her for years. He later confessed to crushing sleeping medication into her tea and assaulting her while she was unconscious. 'We worry about who's coming behind us... but we don't worry about who you lie next to. I didn't realise I had to,' she said.

Watts described how the abuse shattered her sense of safety and trust. 'You don't expect anything other than innocence to come from your partner,' she added. Her case resulted in an 11-year prison sentence for her former husband, though the emotional consequences have lingered.

A Pattern With Precedent

The investigation follows the high-profile case of Dominique Pelicot in France, where a man drugged his wife and facilitated her rape by dozens of men he met online. That case briefly exposed the mechanics of the phenomenon, but it was far from isolated. Instead revealing a broader pattern of technology-enabled abuse that continues to operate across borders and platforms. The revelations have renewed calls for stricter regulation of online platforms and greater international cooperation in tackling such crimes. For survivors like Watts, the priority remains awareness: 'There's a shame and a guilt that comes with it,' she said, reflecting on how long it took her to recognise what had happened.