This document discusses sex work and different policy approaches to regulating it. It defines sex work as the exchange of sexual services between consenting adults. There are over 1 million sex workers in the US generating $200 billion annually, with 14-20 million worldwide. Criminalization of sex work increases risks like HIV transmission and violence against workers. Decriminalization, removing criminal penalties, would decrease STIs/HIV and violence while increasing worker well-being and safety. Legalization through licensing/zoning could recreate an underground market with similar public health risks as criminalization. Decriminalization is identified as having the greatest impact on reducing HIV infections.

1. Let’s Talk About
Sex (Work) !
Aiden Western
UCLA PAC 2022

2. What is
Sex Work?
Exchange of sexual services for money or
goods between two mutually consenting
adults

3. Sex Work Worldwide
>1 million
Sex workers in the
United States
200 billion USD
Revenue generated
per year
14-20 million
Sex workers
worldwide

4. Sex workers have a
13x higher risk of
contracting HIV

6. Criminalization
Criminalization
Criminal penalties for sex work
Most countries including the United States,
Female suppliers arrested - not male buyers
Nordic Model - Worker decriminalized,
Pimps & Clients face criminal penalties

7. ● Decrease the market in the short-run, but would
rebound eventually
● Condomless sex increases
○ STIs (and HIV) increase
● Worker well-being decreases
● Risk of sexual violence from clients increases
● Displaces sex workers into isolated work places
● More police violence towards sex worker
○ Often women, low-income, people of color,
trans people
What it would do?

8. Decriminalization
Decriminalization
Removal of criminal penalties for sex work (Stop
enforcing laws against sex workers and
CONSENSUAL sex work)

9. ● Market size may increase
● Population STI rates and HIV infections will
decrease
● Violence against sex workers will decrease
What it would do?

10. Why not legalization?

11. ● Licensing and zoning requirements
● Sex worker health is better in legal models
than decrim. models BUT
● Legalization would likely create an
underground market to curb regulations
○ Similar outcomes in underground market
as in criminalization
■ Higher STI/HIV rates, more violence,
poorer working conditions, etc.
Legalization

12. - UCLA Luskin Global Lab
for Research in Action
“Decriminalization of sex work
would have the greatest
effect on the course of HIV
epidemics across all settings,
averting 33–46 percent of HIV
infections in the next decade”