Regulating the sex industry

The economist has some thoughts here. My sense is that the New Zealand model has worked pretty well. The Canadian model, which I observed while living in Canada, also seems to work well. It bans streetwalking, which avoids negative externalities, and tries to set up an environment in which sex workers are sole proprietors. Unlike some European countries, which have adopted a sort of full-time occupational model, complete with social insurance and the like for sex work, the Canadian model comports easily with occasional and part-time particpation, which presumably allows sex work to play a consumption-smoothing role for women with low or uncertain incomes from their regular work.

To my surprise, San Francisco's Proposition K, which would have decriminalized sex work (just in time for all the economists who will roll into town in January) was defeated in last Tuesday's election by a margin of 58 percent to 42. The "yes" website, which reports the results, is here.

Finally, a view on the Danish model in the form of this report from Denmark about a disabled man who is suing his local government to have it pay the cost of having a prostitute visit him in his home. Teaser:

Mr Hansen started seeing a prostitute after attending a course at a social centre.

There, he and other disabled people were taught that if they had needs, they "could do something about it".

Hat tip (on the Danish news): Lars Skipper