Characterising the structure of the largest online commercial sex network in the UK: observational study with implications for STI prevention

Giommoni, Luca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3127-654X, Berlusconi, Giulia and Melendez-Torres, G. J. 2021. Characterising the structure of the largest online commercial sex network in the UK: observational study with implications for STI prevention. Culture, Health and Sexuality 23 (12) , pp. 1608-1625. 10.1080/13691058.2020.1788725

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Abstract

This study analyses large-scale online data to examine the characteristics of a national commercial sex network of off-street female sex workers and their male clients to draw implications for public health policy and practice.We collected sexual contact information from the largest online community dedicated to reviewing sex workers’ services in the UK. We built the sexual network using reviews reported between January 2014 and December 2017. We then quantified network parameters using social network analysis measures.The network is composed of 6477 vertices with 59% of them concentred in a ‘giant component’clustered around London and Milton Keynes. We found minimal disassortative mixing by degree between sex workers and their clients,and that a few clients and sex workers are highly connected whilst the majority only have one or few sexual contacts. Finally, our simulation models suggested that prevention strategies targeting both sex workers and clients with high centrality scores were the most effective in reducing network connectedness and average closeness centrality scores, thus limiting transmission of STIs

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
ISSN:	1369-1058
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	6 July 2020
Date of Acceptance:	24 June 2020
Last Modified:	12 Nov 2023 22:12
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/133129

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