TY - JOUR T1 - Who pays for sex? An analysis of the increasing prevalence of female commercial sex contacts among men in Britain JF - Sexually Transmitted Infections JO - Sex Transm Infect SP - 467 LP - 471 DO - 10.1136/sti.2005.014985 VL - 81 IS - 6 AU - H Ward AU - C H Mercer AU - K Wellings AU - K Fenton AU - B Erens AU - A Copas AU - A M Johnson Y1 - 2005/12/01 UR - http://sti.bmj.com/content/81/6/467.abstract N2 - Background: In the United Kingdom the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and risky sexual behaviours is increasing. The role of commercial sex in this trend is poorly understood. Little is known about the men who pay for sex. We examined the epidemiology of female commercial sex contacts reported by men in 1990 and 2000. Methods: National probability sample surveys of sexual attitudes and lifestyles (Natsal) of men aged 16–44 resident in Britain in 1990 (n = 6000) and 2000 (n = 4762). Results: The proportion of men who reported paying women for sex in the previous 5 years increased from 2.0% (95% CI 1.6 to 2.5) in 1990 to 4.2% in 2000 (95% CI 3.6 to 4.9). In both surveys, paying for sex was more frequent in men aged between 25 years and 34 years, who were never or previously married, and who lived in London. There was no association with ethnicity, social class, homosexual contact, or injecting drug use. Men who paid for sex were more likely to report 10 or more sexual partners in the previous 5 years; only a minority of their lifetime sexual partners (19.3%) were commercial. They were more likely to meet partners abroad and to report previous STI. Only 15% reported having had an HIV test. Conclusion: The proportion of men who reported paying for heterosexual sex has increased, and these men have multiple commercial and non-commercial partners. Their higher rates of STI and low level of HIV testing suggest the need for prevention interventions for clients as well as sex workers. ER -