Go to the University of Bologna homepage
Department of Economics

Health Economics Seminar: Scott Cunningham (Ben H. Williams professor of economics, Baylor University)

Title: "Did Craigslist’s Erotic Services Reduce Female Homicide and Rape?"

  • Date: 17 June 2024 from 12:00 to 13:15

  • Event location: Seminar Room - Piazza Scaravilli, 2 + Microsoft Teams Meeting

Abstract

Sex workers have historically faced harm from clients. However, sex workers have claimed that Internet platforms, such as Craigslist erotic services (ERS), reduced that violence. Using the staggered rollout of ERS for identification, we find that it is likely that ERS reduced female homicides by between 12 and 18 percent and (reported) female rape offenses by between 7 and 9 percent. We hypothesize that this was due to more transactions occurring indoors, better screening efforts, and more efficient matching. Our results suggest that some Internet platforms may mitigate the historical risks sex workers have faced.

 Local Organizer: Davide Dragone

about the speaker