(3/21/14) From the Urban Institute: “Sex sells” does little to explain the multimillion-dollar profits generated by the underground commercial sex economy. From high-end escort services to high school “sneaker pimps,” the sex trade leaves no demographic unrepresented and impacts almost every major U.S. city. What we know about the underground commercial sex economy is likely just the tip of the iceberg, but a recent study attempts to unveil its size and structure while documenting the experiences of offenders and law enforcement.
Read the full report here. (Link will open a PDF file of the report, which was funded by a $500k grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.)
Additionally, for a rational, alternative interpretation of the report’s findings, check out this response from the Sex Workers Outreach Project (Las Vegas).