An Economic Theory of Sexual Exchanges and Human Capital

Elias Carroni, Marina Della Giusta and Davide Dragone

Working Papers from Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna

Abstract: We propose a unified economic model of sexual exchanges that treats both unpaid and paid sex as outcomes of individual time allocation decisions. Departing from existing literature that separates sex into marital relations or specialized markets, the model incorporates relational skills, gender norms, and labor market opportunities. It explains gender patterns in the supply and demand of paid sex and offers a rationale for declining sexual activity despite liberal norms. The framework accounts for behavioral responses to shocks, prices, and wage differentials, and can inform policy debates on gender inequality, fertility, and regulation of sex markets.

JEL-codes: I10 J10 J12 J16 J22 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-07
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bol:bodewp:wp1207

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