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Crimes against morality: unintended consequences of criminalizing sex work

Author

Listed:
  • Lisa Cameron

    (Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

  • Jennifer Seager

    (Department of Global Health, George Washington University)

  • Manisha Shah

    (Department of Public Policy, University of California)

Abstract

We examine the impact of criminalizing sex work, exploiting an event in which local officials unexpectedly criminalized sex work in one district in East Java, Indonesia, but not in neighboring districts. We collect data from female sex workers and their clients before and after the change. We find that criminalization increases sexually transmitted infections among female sex workers by 58 percent, measured by biological tests. This is driven by decreased condom access and use. We also find evidence that criminalization decreases earnings among women who left sex work due to criminalization, and decreases their ability to meet their children’s school expenses while increasing the likelihood that children begin working to supplement household income. While criminalization has the potential to improve population STI outcomes if the market shrinks permanently, we show that five years post-criminalization the market has rebounded and the probability of STI transmission within the general population is likely to have increased.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa Cameron & Jennifer Seager & Manisha Shah, 2020. "Crimes against morality: unintended consequences of criminalizing sex work," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2020n21, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    • Handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2020n21
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    File URL: https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/3520565/wp2020n21.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Brendon McConnell, 2023. "What's Logs Got to do With it: On the Perils of log Dependent Variables and Difference-in-Differences," Papers 2308.00167, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2023.
    2. Philippe Adair & Oksana Nezhyvenko, 2023. "Love for sale throughout European countries: Assessing the figures of prostitution," Erudite Working Paper 2023-07, Erudite.
    3. Erasmo Giambona & Rafael P. Ribas, 2023. "Unveiling the Price of Obscenity: Evidence From Closing Prostitution Windows in Amsterdam," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(3), pages 677-705, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Not specified;

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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