A Bizarre Question: the economics of prostitution in a downturn

[william the wie]

I was on new posts and looked at a thread about prostitution demonstrations in Australia. And here is my question.

Prostitution is supposed to boom in downturns. Well with supply increasing as the number of women without other economic opportunities increases businesses in various forms of prostitution can upgrade their laborforce. Higher quality of service and lower prices due to increased supply should stimulate demand as in any other business. That I get.

What I don't get is that with reduced income generally it would seem like the customers with money would show the sense God granted a goose and lock in their desired level of nookie and cost thereof through pre-nups and sugardaddy arrangements. Why would not this countervailing trend take precedence? The girl or girls can still be fired for inadequate performance, failure to follow policy and so forth; housing is dirt cheap; and there are a lot of women caring for parents, grandparents and children who want a source of steady nookie but lack the free time to have much in the way of relationships. Since this lower cost, lower liability alternative is available why is it not used more?

 

[Neubarth]

In hard times, people generally tend to want more valuation and validation of self. (i.e. People hang on to each other with stronger emotional ties, unless because of an inability to provide the man feels like a total loser and flees the scene.) This concept of being a provider is hard for many men to grasp, but once they start succeeding at it, they hold on to that role because it gives them a sense of accomplishment. During those hard times, there is a lot less looking outside of the stable relationship for sex.

The guys who are total losers probably don't have enough money to keep the prostitutes in survival mode from their work.

In a nutshell, Hard Times Suck and many Prostitutes don't