Crimes Against Morality: Unintended Consequences of Criminalizing Sex Work

52 Pages Posted: 21 Sep 2020 Last revised: 1 Feb 2025

See all articles by Lisa A. Cameron

Lisa A. Cameron

University of Melbourne - Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research; IZA Institute of Labor Economics; J-PAL

Jennifer Seager

George Washington University

Manisha Shah

University of California, Berkeley; NBER

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Date Written: September 2020

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

Cameron, Lisa A. and Seager, Jennifer Elizabeth and Shah, Manisha, Crimes Against Morality: Unintended Consequences of Criminalizing Sex Work (September 2020). NBER Working Paper No. w27846, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3696213

Lisa A. Cameron (Contact Author)

University of Melbourne - Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research ( email )

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Jennifer Elizabeth Seager

George Washington University ( email )

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United States

Manisha Shah

University of California, Berkeley

Goldman School
Berkeley, CA 94720
United States

NBER ( email )

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