New Study Reveals the Dynamics of the Commercial Sex Trade

A study is available of the underground commercial sex economy in eight cities (Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, Seattle, San Diego and Washington, D.C.). The study, conducted by the Urban Institute and funded by the National Institute of Justice, is a step toward building scientific understanding of the illicit sex market. The research team interviewed pimps, traffickers, prostituted women, child pornographers and members of law enforcement to understand the dynamics central to the underground commercial sex trade. The team estimated the sex economy to be between $39.9 and $290 million in 2007 across the eight cities, but with decreases since 2003 in all but two cities. The report also offers policy suggestions to combat the illicit sex market. To read Estimating the Size and Structure of the Underground Commercial Sex Economy in Eight Major US Cities, go to https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/245295.pdf.