Brewer, D. D., Muth, S. Q., & Potterat, J. J. (2008). Demographic, biometric, and geographic comparison of clients of prostitutes and men in the US general population. Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, 11, http://www.ejhs.org/volume11/brewer.htm.
To elucidate factors underlying prostitution, we compared clients arrested for patronizing prostitute women in several US metropolitan areas with temporally and geographically comparable men in the general population, as represented in local Census data and probability sample surveys. We conducted parallel analyses for self-reported clients and other men in the General Social Surveys. Using data from a Colorado Springs study, we also compared clients of street prostitutes and clients who patronized off-street prostitutes only. On average, clients were less educated, had lower body mass index values, and were more likely to be young, Hispanic or Black, and currently unmarried than men in the general population. Clients also resided closer to their arrest locations and drove newer vehicles than expected. Furthermore, clients of street prostitutes had similar demographics and patronizing behavior as clients who patronized off-street prostitutes only. These results suggest demand and supply mechanisms driving prostitution.