Legislative change headed by Harriet Harman could see an out-right ban on escort adverts in magazines.
The proposal comes as changes to the Policing and Crime Act would increase police powers to crack down on brothels and people who use their homes to sell sex.
Equalities Minister Harriet Harman has promised to introduce a proposal to fine publications up to £10,000 for printing escorting adverts, although prostitution itself would not be illegal. Although the proposal is intended to protect trafficked female sex workers, it is thought the change in law could also equally affect gay male prostitutes and so-called 'high class' escorts such as the author of Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
But the Terrence Higgins Trust and the International Union of Sex Workers fear it might push sex workers into street work and to work for pimps.
Lisa Power of Terrence Higgins Trust told London gay magazine Boys: 'All of the work that's done on this is done from the sexist view that these things happen to women. We know the male escort industry is very different to the female industry and no one in political power has thought that through.'
Catherine Stephens from the International Union of Sex Workers said: 'I don't know of any gay escorts that have been trafficked. I'm sure there are illegal immigrant gay escorts but they're not being trafficked. There's a big difference between being an illegal immigrant and being trafficked.'
The IUSW opposes the proposal on the basis that it could endanger sex workers of all genders and backgrounds.
'If you stop people going into the office of a magazine to advertise then they're going to be driven into the hands of third parties and intermediaries as a way of getting work and they're much more likely to be exploited then,' Stephens continued.
Since many gay sex workers are self-employed, without working for agencies or brothels like many female sex workers, this could be a backwards step, pushing gay escorts into the situations that deprive them of power, Stephens argued.
There is also an increased chance of STIs being passed on if such proposals reduced the income and client base of male escorts.
'I think the sex work scene is pretty quiet the moment and one of the things that happens when there's a crackdown is that there's even less punters and so less ability to negotiate price. We see a decrease in safe sex because people are more likely to do things they don't want to do,' said Stephens.
One escort we spoke to, who asked to be referred to as Saul, said: 'I find this proposal deeply disturbing. It's like they actually want us to turn to streetwalking. It's much safer to advertise in the back of a magazine than to wander street corners in the dark or work for a pimp.'
Ireland has had a similar law for 15 years, which saw In Dublin magazine fined 63,000 Euros in 2002 for knowingly printing escort adverts. However, the law has had little impact on preventing prostitution, as figures suggest more people are engaged in sex work than ten years ago and trafficking is still a problem, say organisations like Ruhama, which represent sex workers.