New study of British sexual habits reveals one in 10 men have paid for sex

The study confirmed that young professionals are more likely than 'lonely older men' to pay for sex.

15:30 18 November 2014

A major study on British sexual habits has revealed that one in ten men have paid for sex. The majority of the 11per cent who had done so visited sex tourism hotspots while young professionals, not “lonely older men” are more likely to pay for sex. 

 

Of the 6,108 men surveyed, 3.6per cent admitted to paying for sex in the past five years. Meanwhile, just 0.1per cent of women aged 16-74 surveyed paid for sex, the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections revealed. 

 

Lead researcher Dr Cath Mercer told the BBC: "The picture that emerges does not necessarily fit the stereotype of the lonely older man.

"In fact, men who pay for sex are more likely to be young professionals with many unpaid sexual partners. Many report other hedonistic and risky behaviours including heavy drinking and drug taking.’

 

"I think I was most surprised that it is not paid partners making up most of the total, but they are having more partners generally.

 

"These men tend to be highly sexually active."

 

She added: "It could be down to opportunistic reasons such as a lads' weekend away, paid-for sex is available, it's something they wouldn't necessarily do at home, but in that situation it happens, but there are other reasons as well.”

 

"What we do in the UK won't stop men paying for sex, we may push them abroad even more."