Sex | Study: Those Who Purchase Sex Are More Likely To Engage In Criminal Activities

Men who purchase sex through both legal and illegal services are more apt to commit various crimes, including crimes involving violence against women, said a study by the Boston-based Prostitution Research and Education group .

"This research study compared 101 men who buy sex with 100 men who did not buy sex, matched by age, ethnicity and education level. Most had a wife or girlfriend at the time of the study," said a report on the group's website . "... Sex buyers were far more likely than non-sex buyers to commit felonies, misdemeanors, crimes related to violence against women, substance abuse-related crimes, assaults, crimes with weapons and crimes against authority."

The study also found that buyers admitted to committing more "coercive acts against women than non-sex buyers," and said buyers were much less empathetic than non-buyers toward females in prostituted situations.

Interestingly, the not-for-profit team of researchers, led by psychologist Melissa Farley, found it difficult to find men who did not purchase sex in some form.

"Buying sex is so pervasive that Farley's team had a shockingly difficult time locating men who really don't do it," said a Newsweek piece on the study . "The use of pornography, phone sex, lap dances and other services has become so widespread that the researchers were forced to loosen their definition in order to assemble a 100-person control group."

Farley told Newsweek that, "We finally had to settle on a definition of non-sex-buyers as men who have not been to a strip club more than two times in the past year, have not purchased a lap dance, have not used pornography more than one time in the last month, and have not purchased phone sex or the services of a sex worker, escort, erotic masseuse or prostitute."

While many media outlets found this study compelling, some took issue with the researcher's methods and conclusions. Marty Klein, a certified sex therapist, responded to the study, and its corresponding Newsweek article, with a piece in Psychology Today titled , "Disgusting, Dishonest, Damaging: Newsweek Calls YOU "The John Next Door"

"Melissa Farley interviewed 200 men, attempting to show the contrasting traits of men who 'buy sex' and those who don't. But rather than create a category solely of men who actually BUY sex, the study conflates paying for prostitutes with all LEGAL sexual entertainment that involves no touching - including phone sex, going to strip clubs and watching pornography," said Klein. "Does that make any sense? ... With all the sociologists and sexologists in America, the article doesn't quote a single one. Somehow, the only people qualified to speak about the reality and impact of prostitution are those devoting their lives to ending it. How's that for 'fair and balanced?' Newsweek calls this 'news of current research.' I call it demeaning propaganda."

EMAIL: hboyd@desnews.com