One in ten men have paid for sex

[herelonely]

And they said it wouldn't catch on...

External Link/Members Only

HL

[rafatheira]

Honestly, I think its far, far more than that.

Regular punters maybe not, but over a lifetime, I think a lot more than 10% of males pay for it at some point.

[jsparky]

As they said, there is only one honest man... and 9 liars!

[stillpunting]

Only one  in ten? 

[Quesadilla]

Only had time to read the summary section of the research referenced but intrigued to note that the summaries make zero mention of paying for sex. So it may well be that somewhere in the detail are some facts that back up the BBCs claim, but it is clear that best case they have done the typical "bad science" of cherry picking evidence to suit an agenda.
In this case scare mongering the dangers of paying for sex / too many sexual partners.
They suggest it "doubles" the risk of STI's which is typical statistical mumbo jumbo. From what to what is the important  bit.

Will try and have a more thorough read when I have time but a bit busy at work right now.

[akauya]

Unfortunately that article only concentrates on paid sex with "professional" sex workers. If they were to add how many men pay for sex with civvies it would be close to 99%. You know, taking the woman out to restaurants, theatres, clubs, shows, buying her presents, etc. etc. you end up paying just as much and even then sex is not guaranteed.

Even when you get married, sex is not free. If you don't pay financially then you pay for it emotionally.

Sex is never free.

[Vivago]

Sex is never free.

Except with oneself.  There again, have you seen the price of kleenex these days.

[smiths]

How can anyone possibly know for definite how many men there are that have paid for sex as at least some of them like me wouldnt take part in any survey supposedly anonymous or not.

Its a secret pastime to some punters as numerous posts on here and elsewhere have shown. My personal and totally unprovable opinion now is its probably higher that 1 in 10.

[Curious6705]

The analysis is by a top university - UCL - so I think it's most likely well done - though only as good as the source data.

I do believe paid for sex is being discussed more and that is leading to more enlightened and better informed views being expressed by people in authority.

For example the lady from the FPA more or less says it's pointless trying to ban paid-for-sex in the UK as it will just result in more men getting it abroad, where they are more likely to pick up an STI and bring it back to the UK with them.

Quite striking that most of the men in the survey apparently did their punting abroad. Contrast that with how busy UKP is these days, and I wonder if the survey data accurately reflects activity in the UK?

[Jeremy]

Quite striking that most of the men in the survey apparently did their punting abroad.

There's a strange mentality that it's "not the same" seeing a prossie abroad - there are even some men who would feel that visiting a prossie in the UK is sad or desperate but that it doesn't count if you're on holiday.

[hockogrockle]

I thought this subject was researched by some other body a few years ago. They came up with a figure of around 25%, if I remember rightly. If I am correct, there are clearly some wide margins of error when this issue is researched. Research results can, of course, sometimes depend on why the research is being conducted. Research designed to show the existence of a major problem regularly produces higher percentages than rsearch which is not, even when the researchers are highly reputable. Sometimes, when their research has demonstrated nothing, they will latch on to some minor point in it and say "this is a potentially significant finding, which merits further study". In other words, "give us more money". When your job is substantially funded by handouts, it is a way of keeping you in business. And you might discover something that makes you world-famous one day!

[virgil]

The analysis is by a top university - UCL - so I think it's most likely well done - though only as good as the source data.

Quite striking that most of the men in the survey apparently did their punting abroad. Contrast that with how busy UKP is these days, and I wonder if the survey data accurately reflects activity in the UK?

I am sure the percentage is higher than 10% and it is one of the most likely surveys where people will lie.

I think the foreign instances/UK instances result is not only striking but inaccurate.

Obviously not a scientific response by me but you pick up a lot of info over the years and my gut feeling is that the sample under 2000 is not big enough for reliability in this subject area.

[Aspen]

I am sure the percentage is higher than 10% and it is one of the most likely surveys where people will lie.

I don't believe that 0.1% of women have paid for sex either. It's probably more like 0.0001%

[Bond]

I don't believe that 0.1% of women have paid for sex either. It's probably more like 0.0001%

Agree.

Does we know how many women have have been paid for sex?

[galcom666]

Actually in Asia I know a number of fake teachers (who get jobs because they are white and nothing else) who turned their hand to selling their bodies after running out of options (most Asian countries are tightening up their visa requirements and actually actively running sting operations to catch illegal tourist visa teachers).

Guy named Richard had sex with numerous old (think 50+) Thai women for $25. He has to do this because he made himself completely unemployable by backpacking for nearly a decade using a windfall he got when he turned 20. It ran out the thing is he only actually makes $12 US a time because he has to pay a cut to his 'pimp' or rather the agent who introduces him to the women. Add in V and condoms and he's making $9 an hour. But he can't return to the UK either!

Similarly in Beijing there are men for sale too. Powerful men have daughters and normal blokes are afraid to approach them for fear of leg breaky. Daughters get the horn and hire such men.

[Aspen]

Agree.

Does we know how many women have have been paid for sex?

That's probably about the 0.1%. Which would make it about 60,000 in the UK.


We're all mugs for paying aren't we.

[Aspen]

Actually in Asia I know a number of fake teachers (who get jobs because they are white and nothing else) who turned their hand to selling their bodies after running out of options (most Asian countries are tightening up their visa requirements and actually actively running sting operations to catch illegal tourist visa teachers).

Guy named Richard had sex with numerous old (think 50+) Thai women for $25. He has to do this because he made himself completely unemployable by backpacking for nearly a decade using a windfall he got when he turned 20. It ran out the thing is he only actually makes $12 US a time because he has to pay a cut to his 'pimp' or rather the agent who introduces him to the women. Add in V and condoms and he's making $9 an hour. But he can't return to the UK either!

Similarly in Beijing there are men for sale too. Powerful men have daughters and normal blokes are afraid to approach them for fear of leg breaky. Daughters get the horn and hire such men.

I find that very difficult to believe.

Women just don't demean themselves in that way.

[Bond]

That's probably about the 0.1%. Which would make it about 60,000 in the UK.


We're all mugs for paying aren't we.

That would make it 100 punters per WG which I think is a bit high.

Assuming that the proportion of active/retired punters and active/retired WGs is roughly the same, and assuming that each punter punts (on average) twice a month, that would mean 200 punts per WG per month, which I also think is too high. Certainly in the £150+ per hour market, it is too high.

In the £150+ per hour market I don't think that punters outnumber WGs by more than 25:1.

[Aspen]

That would make it 100 punters per WG which I think is a bit high.

Assuming that the proportion of active/retired punters and active/retired WGs is roughly the same, and assuming that each punter punts (on average) twice a month, that would mean 200 punts per WG per month, which I also think is too high. Certainly in the £150+ per hour market, it is too high.

In the £150+ per hour market I don't think that punters outnumber WGs by more than 25:1.

I don't agree at all. The prostitutes I have discussed this with all say they have seen more than 100 men. Some a lot more. The last one I discussed this with said it was about 3,000 in her case. Mostly it's in the hundreds.

[peter_bungee]

Unfortunately that article only concentrates on paid sex with "professional" sex workers. If they were to add how many men pay for sex with civvies it would be close to 99%. You know, taking the woman out to restaurants, theatres, clubs, shows, buying her presents, etc. etc. you end up paying just as much and even then sex is not guaranteed.

Even when you get married, sex is not free. If you don't pay financially then you pay for it emotionally.

Sex is never free.

Thats hardly the same as a paid transaction for sex is it?!  I know some guys use it to make themselves feel better but a date and 30min in a parlour different things.

Looking at aw reviews/number of reports its bigger than i initially thought but its still no where near the norm i doubt most people would want to pay these prices even if they have no moral qualms aboug doing this which i tjink is a much larger % maybe 50%

[Aspen]

I doubt most people would want to pay these prices even if they have no moral qualms aboug doing this which i think is a much larger % maybe 50%

Very true.

If the cost was more manageable, I would routinely go to prostitutes, maybe two or three times a week and simply not bother pursuing any sort of relationship and instead avoiding any. But as it is it's far too expensive and it's a big decision every time. If it was affordable I would guess you're right, 50% of guys would routinely do it. Possibly more than that. It would be a big shift in economics from the current state, and from what little I have read a bit more like Victorian times. For example I read somewhere that in the early 1800's one in six women in the London area were either a prostitute or had been at some point. To me that's a stunning figure, and probably gives a clue to the demand that's lurking but not realised.