Sex in Cyberspace: Men Who Pay For Sex

Unlike every other commercial transaction, studies of commercial sex usually focus on the motivations or experiences of the seller." Sarah Earle and Keith Sharp turn the tables and inquire what motivates men to purchase sex. Neither dismissively critical, uncritically accepting, nor dripping with condescension, Earle and Sharp add to our understanding of men's psyches, and their sense of entitlement." Professor Michael Kimmel, SUNY Stony Brook, USA "It is refreshing to find a book which draws on the experiences of male clients of female sex workers. It challenges many assumptions about male clients, bringing new insights into the motivations and meanings they attached to their commercial sex involvement. It makes a valuable contribution to the under-developed research literature on men who pay for sex." Rosie Campbell, Chair, UK Network of Sex Work Projects Sex in Cyberspace offers a bold and provocative, yet sensitively written, account of an under-investigated area of sociological enquiry. While there is a considerable amount of research documenting the experiences of sex workers, very little data exists on their male clientele. The first empirically-based study on the experiences of men who pay for sex, this work presents a significant new source of data. The book is based upon an extensive study of on-line forums in which both the purchasers of sexual services and the workers themselves can exchange information and views - information which is otherwise extremely difficult to obtain. Sarah Earle and Keith Sharp argue that such sites represent a significant change in the social organization of sex work and those who seek and use the services of sex workers. Shedding new light on men's sexual identity, Sex in Cyberspace makes a major contribution to the study of sexuality. Contents: Men, sex work and society; Researching sex in cyberspace; Bodies for hire; Intimacy, emotion and romance; Sexual pleasure and erotic performance; Doing the business; Health, risk and sex work; Bibliography; Index. About the Author: Dr Sarah Earle is Lecturer in Health Studies at The Open University, UK. Her publications include: 'An Introduction to the Sociology of Health' and (with Gayle Letherby) 'Gender, Identity and Reproduction'. Dr Keith Sharp is Head of the School of Contemporary Studies at The University of Gloucestershire, UK. He is one of the authors of the best-selling textbooks 'Sociology in Focus' and 'Psychology in Focus'.