Selling sex: what determines rates and popularity? An analysis of 11.5 thousand online profiles
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by
Alicia Mergenthaler, Taha Yasseri
2020
Abstract
Sex work, or the exchange of sexual services for money or goods, is
ubiquitous across eras and cultures. However, the practice of selling sex is
often hidden due to stigma and the varying legal status of sex work. Online
platforms that sex workers use to advertise services have become an
increasingly important tool in studying a market that is largely hidden.
Although prior literature has primarily shed light on sex work from a public
health or policy perspective (focusing largely on female sex workers), there
are few studies that empirically research patterns of service provision in
online sex work. Little research has been done on understanding pricing and
popularity in the market for commercial sex work. This study investigates the
determinants of pricing and popularity in the market for commercial sexual
services online by using data from the largest UK network of online sexual
services, a platform that is the "industry-standard" for sex workers. While the
size of these influences vary across genders, nationality, age, and services
provided are shown to be primary drivers of rates and popularity in sex work.
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