The Prostitute's Allure: The Return to Beauty in Commercial Sex Work

Raj Arunachalam and Manisha Shah ()

The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 2012, vol. 12, issue 1, 27

Abstract: We estimate the earnings premium for beauty in an occupation where returns to physical attractiveness are likely to be important: commercial sex work. Using data from sex workers in Ecuador and Mexico, we find that a one standard deviation increase in attractiveness yields 10-15 percent higher earnings. Including controls for personal characteristics (communication ability and desirability of personality) cuts the beauty premium by up to one-half. Beautiful sex workers earn higher wages, have more clients, and enjoy a larger compensating differential for disease risk.

Keywords: beauty; premium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

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DOI: 10.1515/1935-1682.3203

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