diff --git a/includes/core/class-member-directory.php b/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
index 556b007c..c1e2668e 100644
--- a/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
+++ b/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
@@ -1531,7 +1531,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory' ) ) {
 			if ( ! empty( $_POST['search'] ) ) {
 				// complex using with change_meta_sql function
 
-				$search = trim( stripslashes( sanitize_text_field( $_POST['search'] ) ) );
+				$search = trim( sanitize_text_field( wp_unslash( $_POST['search'] ) ) );
 
 				$meta_query = array(
 					'relation' => 'OR',
@@ -1549,7 +1549,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory' ) ) {
 					),
 				);
 
-				$meta_query = apply_filters( 'um_member_directory_general_search_meta_query', $meta_query, stripslashes( sanitize_text_field( $_POST['search'] ) ) );
+				$meta_query = apply_filters( 'um_member_directory_general_search_meta_query', $meta_query, $search );
 
 				$this->query_args['meta_query'][] = $meta_query;
 
@@ -1574,14 +1574,15 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory' ) ) {
 		function change_meta_sql( $sql, $queries, $type, $primary_table, $primary_id_column, $context ) {
 			if ( ! empty( $_POST['search'] ) ) {
 				global $wpdb;
-				$search = trim( stripslashes( sanitize_text_field( $_POST['search'] ) ) );
+
+				$search = trim( sanitize_text_field( wp_unslash( $_POST['search'] ) ) );
 				if ( ! empty( $search ) ) {
 
 					$meta_value = '%' . $wpdb->esc_like( $search ) . '%';
 					$search_meta      = $wpdb->prepare( '%s', $meta_value );
-
+					// str_replace( '/', '\/', wp_slash( $search_meta ) ) means that we add backslashes to special symbols + add backslash to slash(/) symbol for proper regular pattern.
 					preg_match(
-						'/^(.*).meta_value LIKE ' . addslashes( $search_meta ) . '[^\)]/im',
+						'/^(.*).meta_value LIKE ' . str_replace( '/', '\/', wp_slash( $search_meta ) ) . '[^\)]/im',
 						$sql['where'],
 						$join_matches
 					);
@@ -1616,8 +1617,9 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory' ) ) {
 
 					$search_where = preg_replace( '/ AND \((.*?)\)/im', "$1 OR", $search_where );
 
+					// str_replace( '/', '\/', wp_slash( $search ) ) means that we add backslashes to special symbols + add backslash to slash(/) symbol for proper regular pattern.
 					$sql['where'] = preg_replace(
-						'/(' . $meta_join_for_search . '.meta_value = \'' . esc_attr( $search ) . '\')/im',
+						'/(' . $meta_join_for_search . '.meta_value = \'' . str_replace( '/', '\/', wp_slash( $search ) ) . '\')/im',
 						trim( $search_where ) . " $1",
 						$sql['where'],
 						1