Sex Markets: A Denied Industry

Empirical and mathematically rigorous, this book provides a study of the economics of prostitution rather than focusing on the sociological and cultural themes. Using economic tools of analysis, internationally based editors have put together a theoretically informed volume that explores the supply and demand of prostitution.
Prostitution is a globalized industry involving millions of workers and it is characterized by a high degree of inequality in working conditions (ranging from slavery to self-managed and legalized unionized employment), by different sub-markets and fully integrated in the productive system.
Taking a provocative approach to prostitution, this book is a must read for students and researchers in the area of gender and economics.

Marina Della Giusta is Senior Lecturer in Economics at Reading University Business School, UK.
Maria Laura Di Tommaso is Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Turin, Italy.
Steinar Strøm is Professor in Economics at the University of Oslo, Norway and the University of Turin, Italy.

Part 1: Studying Prostitution 1.1. Conceptualising Prostitution 1.2. Social Sciences and Prostitution 1.3. Economics and Prostitution Part 2: A Reputation Approach to Prostitution 2.1. The Demand Side 2.2. The Supply Side 2.3. Equilibrium 2.4. The Market for Prostitution when Norms are Endogenous 2.5. Different Markets and Policies Part 3: Empirical Application 3.1. The Demand Side: Clients of Street Sex Workers in the US 3.2. A Specific Segment of the Supply Side: Sexually Exploited Trafficked Women