The Influence of Legal Brothels on Illegal Sexual Service Purchasing Habits: The U.S. Context

In this study, we use a survey of sex workers' clients to examine the relationship between having paid for services in legal brothels in Nevada and paying for criminalized sexual services among male clients. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) and generalized ordered logistic regression models,...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Wakefield, Chris (Author) ; Brents, Barbara G. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2020
In: International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology
Year: 2020, Volume: 64, Issue: 2/3, Pages: 249-264
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Keywords:
Sexual Behavior
Brothels
Customers
Clients
Prostitution
Sex Work
Sex work
Sexual behavior
Description
Summary:In this study, we use a survey of sex workers' clients to examine the relationship between having paid for services in legal brothels in Nevada and paying for criminalized sexual services among male clients. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) and generalized ordered logistic regression models, the use of legal brothels is found to be negatively related to reported purchasing of criminalized sexual services, regardless of criminal history, income, and most other demographic factors. When tested by criminalized purchase context, purchases made using the Internet, from public, outdoor contacts (such as the street) and indoor, public contacts (like bars), were less likely to occur with brothel experience. This study addresses a critical gap in scholarship on sex workers' clients purchasing choices with consideration to both market choice and frequency of purchase when having been exposed to a legal replacement for an illegal transaction. Implications and areas of further study are discussed.
ISSN:1552-6933
DOI:10.1177/0306624X19866306