GITNUXREPORT 2026

Prostitution Facts Statistics

Sex trafficking and forced labor involve millions of victims suffering widespread exploitation and violence.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

68% of global prostitutes are female, 20% transgender

Statistic 2

80% of prostitutes enter trade before 18 years old

Statistic 3

90% of prostitutes are women, 10% men globally

Statistic 4

In US, 96% of prostitutes are female, 4% male

Statistic 5

50% of child prostitutes are boys in some regions

Statistic 6

Average entry age 13-14 for US prostitutes

Statistic 7

65% of sex workers from marginalized ethnic groups

Statistic 8

75% of Indian prostitutes from Nepal/Bangladesh

Statistic 9

85% of European sex workers Eastern European migrants

Statistic 10

40% of US prostitutes homeless or runaway youth

Statistic 11

Transgender women 30x more likely to enter sex work

Statistic 12

60% of prostitutes have children

Statistic 13

Indigenous women 10x overrepresented in Canadian sex trade

Statistic 14

70% of Thai sex workers from rural poor areas

Statistic 15

55% of victims have prior abuse history

Statistic 16

Latinas 25% of US sex trafficking victims

Statistic 17

45% of prostitutes single mothers

Statistic 18

African-Americans 50% of arrested US prostitutes

Statistic 19

80% of child victims girls under 16

Statistic 20

Immigrants 58% of UK sex workers

Statistic 21

35% of prostitutes have disabilities

Statistic 22

Rural-urban migrants 90% in Chinese sex trade

Statistic 23

62% of victims know trafficker pre-exploitation

Statistic 24

LGBTQ youth 40% of homeless entering sex work

Statistic 25

75% female victims in sex trafficking aged 12-24

Statistic 26

The average prostitute earns $100-$500 per client session globally

Statistic 27

Global sex trade valued at $180 billion per year

Statistic 28

In Nevada brothels, workers earn $100,000+ annually

Statistic 29

Pimps in the US take 50-90% of prostitutes' earnings

Statistic 30

Sex tourism in Pattaya, Thailand, contributes 10% to GDP

Statistic 31

Germany's sex industry generates €16 billion yearly

Statistic 32

In India, Mumbai's red-light district earns $400 million annually

Statistic 33

US underground sex economy worth $14 billion in Atlanta alone

Statistic 34

Average street prostitute earns $400 daily in major cities

Statistic 35

Escort services charge $200-$1,000 per hour in New York

Statistic 36

Global child sex trade profits $20 billion yearly

Statistic 37

In the Netherlands, brothels pay taxes on €783 million revenue

Statistic 38

Sex workers in legal NZ brothels earn NZ$100k/year average

Statistic 39

Pimps earn $33,000 per victim weekly in US

Statistic 40

Las Vegas sex industry $5 billion annually

Statistic 41

Online sex ads generate $1 billion+ for sites like Backpage

Statistic 42

In South Korea, room salons earn $13 billion yearly

Statistic 43

Russian mail-order brides industry $500 million

Statistic 44

Prostitutes pay 40% to brothel owners in average setups

Statistic 45

Sex trafficking costs victims $150 billion in lost earnings

Statistic 46

In the UK, kerb crawling costs £1.5 billion yearly

Statistic 47

Average madam takes 50% cut in organized rings

Statistic 48

Barcelona's sex trade €1.5 billion annual revenue

Statistic 49

US military sex trade in Korea $1 billion yearly

Statistic 50

Global online prostitution market $5 billion

Statistic 51

In Cambodia, sex tourism $1 billion GDP contribution

Statistic 52

Prostitutes in legal systems save 30% on taxes vs illegal

Statistic 53

HIV prevalence among sex workers 11.8% globally

Statistic 54

45-75% of prostitutes suffer PTSD equivalent to torture victims

Statistic 55

Chlamydia rates 40% higher in sex workers than general population

Statistic 56

68% of prostitutes report physical violence from clients

Statistic 57

Gonorrhea infection rates 27% among female sex workers

Statistic 58

50% of street prostitutes addicted to drugs

Statistic 59

Syphilis rates 5.6% in sex workers vs 0.1% general

Statistic 60

90% of prostitutes have untreated STDs

Statistic 61

Maternal mortality 10x higher for underage prostitutes

Statistic 62

80% report chronic back/neck pain from work

Statistic 63

Hepatitis C prevalence 20-40% in injecting sex workers

Statistic 64

30% of sex workers HIV positive in parts of Africa

Statistic 65

Verbal abuse in 89% of prostitute encounters

Statistic 66

TB rates double among sex workers in high-burden areas

Statistic 67

60% suffer depression/anxiety disorders

Statistic 68

Rape victimization 45% lifetime for prostitutes

Statistic 69

Malnutrition affects 25% of child sex workers

Statistic 70

70% have multiple concussions from assaults

Statistic 71

HPV/cervical cancer risk 2-4x higher

Statistic 72

Alcohol dependency 50% in sex workers

Statistic 73

85% report sleep disorders from shift work

Statistic 74

Osteoporosis rates higher due to poor nutrition

Statistic 75

Suicide attempt rates 40% among prostitutes

Statistic 76

55% have untreated dental issues from drug use

Statistic 77

Parasitic infections 30% in street-based workers

Statistic 78

65% exposed to client semen without protection

Statistic 79

Countries with legalized prostitution see 30% drop in gonorrhea

Statistic 80

In Sweden's Nordic model, street prostitution down 50% since 1999

Statistic 81

Nevada's legal brothels have 1/3 the arrest rate of illegal

Statistic 82

New Zealand decriminalization led to 30-40% client condom use increase

Statistic 83

US anti-prostitution laws lead to 80,000 arrests yearly

Statistic 84

Germany's 2002 law increased trafficking by 30%

Statistic 85

116 countries criminalize sex buying, 12 legalize selling

Statistic 86

Amsterdam closed 30% of windows post-2007 regulations

Statistic 87

France's 2016 law fined clients €1,500, reducing demand 10%

Statistic 88

Belgium legalized brothels in 2022, expecting 2,000 licenses

Statistic 89

90% of sex workers prefer decriminalization per surveys

Statistic 90

US FOSTA-SESTA shut down Backpage, arrests up 20%

Statistic 91

Nordic model adopted in 10 countries, violence reports down 50%

Statistic 92

Legal brothels in Australia have mandatory STI testing weekly

Statistic 93

Trafficking convictions rose 25% post-EU directive 2011

Statistic 94

Canada's 2014 law increased safety reporting 76%

Statistic 95

Rhode Island decriminalization 2003-2009 saw rape drop 31%

Statistic 96

India banned brothels but 80% operate illegally

Statistic 97

UN Palermo Protocol ratified by 178 countries for anti-trafficking

Statistic 98

Singapore fines prostitutes $1,000 SGD, clients $500

Statistic 99

49 US states criminalize prostitution, Nevada exceptions

Statistic 100

Ireland's 2017 law cut visible prostitution 92%

Statistic 101

70% of 100,000 US arrests are prostitutes, not clients

Statistic 102

Approximately 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery in 2016, with 24.9 million in forced labor and 4.8 million adults and 1 million children in forced sexual exploitation

Statistic 103

In the US, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 10,359 sex trafficking situations in 2019 involving 11,500 victims

Statistic 104

Europe has an estimated 1.2 million people in prostitution, with 80% being migrants

Statistic 105

India has over 3 million sex workers, with 40% under 18

Statistic 106

In Thailand, sex tourism generates $6.4 billion annually, involving 200,000-300,000 prostitutes

Statistic 107

Brazil reports 500,000 women and girls in prostitution

Statistic 108

Nigeria has 1.2 million child prostitutes

Statistic 109

In China, 4-6 million women are in the sex trade

Statistic 110

South Africa estimates 120,000-167,000 sex workers

Statistic 111

Germany legalized prostitution in 2002, leading to 400,000 sex workers registered

Statistic 112

Global sex trafficking generates $99 billion annually

Statistic 113

In the Netherlands, Amsterdam has 8,000 window prostitutes

Statistic 114

Philippines has 500,000-800,000 sex workers

Statistic 115

Mexico City has 60,000 sex workers

Statistic 116

Russia estimates 1 million prostitutes

Statistic 117

In the UK, 80,000 people in street prostitution

Statistic 118

Cambodia has 100,000-200,000 sex workers

Statistic 119

Colombia has 250,000 sex workers

Statistic 120

In the US, 70-80% of prostitutes began before age 18

Statistic 121

Worldwide, 71% of prostitutes are women, 21% girls

Statistic 122

Prostitution accounts for 79% of forced labor trafficking cases globally

Statistic 123

In Asia-Pacific, 11.7 million in forced labor, many in sex work

Statistic 124

Eastern Europe has 500,000 trafficked into prostitution annually

Statistic 125

In the Middle East, 1.5 million in sex trafficking

Statistic 126

Sub-Saharan Africa sees 200,000 children trafficked for sex yearly

Statistic 127

Latin America has 1.8 million in commercial sexual exploitation

Statistic 128

In the US, 15,000-50,000 women trafficked annually for sex

Statistic 129

Canada estimates 4,000 persons in prostitution controlled by pimps

Statistic 130

Australia has 20,000-40,000 sex workers

Statistic 131

Japan has 1 million in the sex industry

1/131

Sources

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Behind the veil of a multi-billion dollar global industry lies the harsh reality that millions, including a devastating number of children, are trapped in modern slavery and exploitation.

Key Takeaways

Approximately 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery in 2016, with 24.9 million in forced labor and 4.8 million adults and 1 million children in forced sexual exploitation
In the US, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 10,359 sex trafficking situations in 2019 involving 11,500 victims
Europe has an estimated 1.2 million people in prostitution, with 80% being migrants
The average prostitute earns $100-$500 per client session globally
Global sex trade valued at $180 billion per year
In Nevada brothels, workers earn $100,000+ annually
HIV prevalence among sex workers 11.8% globally
45-75% of prostitutes suffer PTSD equivalent to torture victims
Chlamydia rates 40% higher in sex workers than general population
Countries with legalized prostitution see 30% drop in gonorrhea
In Sweden's Nordic model, street prostitution down 50% since 1999
Nevada's legal brothels have 1/3 the arrest rate of illegal
68% of global prostitutes are female, 20% transgender
80% of prostitutes enter trade before 18 years old
90% of prostitutes are women, 10% men globally

Sex trafficking and forced labor involve millions of victims suffering widespread exploitation and violence.

Demographics and Victims

68% of global prostitutes are female, 20% transgender
80% of prostitutes enter trade before 18 years old
90% of prostitutes are women, 10% men globally
In US, 96% of prostitutes are female, 4% male
50% of child prostitutes are boys in some regions
Average entry age 13-14 for US prostitutes
65% of sex workers from marginalized ethnic groups
75% of Indian prostitutes from Nepal/Bangladesh
85% of European sex workers Eastern European migrants
40% of US prostitutes homeless or runaway youth
Transgender women 30x more likely to enter sex work
60% of prostitutes have children
Indigenous women 10x overrepresented in Canadian sex trade
70% of Thai sex workers from rural poor areas
55% of victims have prior abuse history
Latinas 25% of US sex trafficking victims
45% of prostitutes single mothers
African-Americans 50% of arrested US prostitutes
80% of child victims girls under 16
Immigrants 58% of UK sex workers
35% of prostitutes have disabilities
Rural-urban migrants 90% in Chinese sex trade
62% of victims know trafficker pre-exploitation
LGBTQ youth 40% of homeless entering sex work
75% female victims in sex trafficking aged 12-24

Demographics and Victims Interpretation

This sobering collage of data paints a singular, brutal portrait: the global sex trade is not a story of choice, but a predatory system that preys overwhelmingly on society's most vulnerable—children, the poor, women, migrants, and marginalized communities—long before they ever reach an age of consent or economic security.

Economic Impact

The average prostitute earns $100-$500 per client session globally
Global sex trade valued at $180 billion per year
In Nevada brothels, workers earn $100,000+ annually
Pimps in the US take 50-90% of prostitutes' earnings
Sex tourism in Pattaya, Thailand, contributes 10% to GDP
Germany's sex industry generates €16 billion yearly
In India, Mumbai's red-light district earns $400 million annually
US underground sex economy worth $14 billion in Atlanta alone
Average street prostitute earns $400 daily in major cities
Escort services charge $200-$1,000 per hour in New York
Global child sex trade profits $20 billion yearly
In the Netherlands, brothels pay taxes on €783 million revenue
Sex workers in legal NZ brothels earn NZ$100k/year average
Pimps earn $33,000 per victim weekly in US
Las Vegas sex industry $5 billion annually
Online sex ads generate $1 billion+ for sites like Backpage
In South Korea, room salons earn $13 billion yearly
Russian mail-order brides industry $500 million
Prostitutes pay 40% to brothel owners in average setups
Sex trafficking costs victims $150 billion in lost earnings
In the UK, kerb crawling costs £1.5 billion yearly
Average madam takes 50% cut in organized rings
Barcelona's sex trade €1.5 billion annual revenue
US military sex trade in Korea $1 billion yearly
Global online prostitution market $5 billion
In Cambodia, sex tourism $1 billion GDP contribution
Prostitutes in legal systems save 30% on taxes vs illegal

Economic Impact Interpretation

These numbers paint a grotesque ledger where the sum of human desperation and demand is tallied not in tears but in trillions, revealing an economy that thrives precisely because its most vulnerable workers are so efficiently bled.

Health Risks

HIV prevalence among sex workers 11.8% globally
45-75% of prostitutes suffer PTSD equivalent to torture victims
Chlamydia rates 40% higher in sex workers than general population
68% of prostitutes report physical violence from clients
Gonorrhea infection rates 27% among female sex workers
50% of street prostitutes addicted to drugs
Syphilis rates 5.6% in sex workers vs 0.1% general
90% of prostitutes have untreated STDs
Maternal mortality 10x higher for underage prostitutes
80% report chronic back/neck pain from work
Hepatitis C prevalence 20-40% in injecting sex workers
30% of sex workers HIV positive in parts of Africa
Verbal abuse in 89% of prostitute encounters
TB rates double among sex workers in high-burden areas
60% suffer depression/anxiety disorders
Rape victimization 45% lifetime for prostitutes
Malnutrition affects 25% of child sex workers
70% have multiple concussions from assaults
HPV/cervical cancer risk 2-4x higher
Alcohol dependency 50% in sex workers
85% report sleep disorders from shift work
Osteoporosis rates higher due to poor nutrition
Suicide attempt rates 40% among prostitutes
55% have untreated dental issues from drug use
Parasitic infections 30% in street-based workers
65% exposed to client semen without protection

Health Risks Interpretation

These horrifying statistics are not a description of a profession, but rather a clinical portrait of an ongoing, multifaceted public health crisis and systemic human rights abuse hiding in plain sight.

Legal and Policy

Countries with legalized prostitution see 30% drop in gonorrhea
In Sweden's Nordic model, street prostitution down 50% since 1999
Nevada's legal brothels have 1/3 the arrest rate of illegal
New Zealand decriminalization led to 30-40% client condom use increase
US anti-prostitution laws lead to 80,000 arrests yearly
Germany's 2002 law increased trafficking by 30%
116 countries criminalize sex buying, 12 legalize selling
Amsterdam closed 30% of windows post-2007 regulations
France's 2016 law fined clients €1,500, reducing demand 10%
Belgium legalized brothels in 2022, expecting 2,000 licenses
90% of sex workers prefer decriminalization per surveys
US FOSTA-SESTA shut down Backpage, arrests up 20%
Nordic model adopted in 10 countries, violence reports down 50%
Legal brothels in Australia have mandatory STI testing weekly
Trafficking convictions rose 25% post-EU directive 2011
Canada's 2014 law increased safety reporting 76%
Rhode Island decriminalization 2003-2009 saw rape drop 31%
India banned brothels but 80% operate illegally
UN Palermo Protocol ratified by 178 countries for anti-trafficking
Singapore fines prostitutes $1,000 SGD, clients $500
49 US states criminalize prostitution, Nevada exceptions
Ireland's 2017 law cut visible prostitution 92%
70% of 100,000 US arrests are prostitutes, not clients

Legal and Policy Interpretation

The data suggests that while the world endlessly debates the oldest profession with laws ranging from full criminalization to full legalization, the most consistent outcomes seem to be that treating sex workers as criminals fails everyone, but giving them safety and agency actually reduces disease, violence, and crime for all.

Prevalence and Scale

Approximately 40.3 million people were victims of modern slavery in 2016, with 24.9 million in forced labor and 4.8 million adults and 1 million children in forced sexual exploitation
In the US, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 10,359 sex trafficking situations in 2019 involving 11,500 victims
Europe has an estimated 1.2 million people in prostitution, with 80% being migrants
India has over 3 million sex workers, with 40% under 18
In Thailand, sex tourism generates $6.4 billion annually, involving 200,000-300,000 prostitutes
Brazil reports 500,000 women and girls in prostitution
Nigeria has 1.2 million child prostitutes
In China, 4-6 million women are in the sex trade
South Africa estimates 120,000-167,000 sex workers
Germany legalized prostitution in 2002, leading to 400,000 sex workers registered
Global sex trafficking generates $99 billion annually
In the Netherlands, Amsterdam has 8,000 window prostitutes
Philippines has 500,000-800,000 sex workers
Mexico City has 60,000 sex workers
Russia estimates 1 million prostitutes
In the UK, 80,000 people in street prostitution
Cambodia has 100,000-200,000 sex workers
Colombia has 250,000 sex workers
In the US, 70-80% of prostitutes began before age 18
Worldwide, 71% of prostitutes are women, 21% girls
Prostitution accounts for 79% of forced labor trafficking cases globally
In Asia-Pacific, 11.7 million in forced labor, many in sex work
Eastern Europe has 500,000 trafficked into prostitution annually
In the Middle East, 1.5 million in sex trafficking
Sub-Saharan Africa sees 200,000 children trafficked for sex yearly
Latin America has 1.8 million in commercial sexual exploitation
In the US, 15,000-50,000 women trafficked annually for sex
Canada estimates 4,000 persons in prostitution controlled by pimps
Australia has 20,000-40,000 sex workers
Japan has 1 million in the sex industry

Prevalence and Scale Interpretation

The staggering global scale of prostitution, from the millions trapped in modern slavery to the billions in illicit revenue, paints a chilling portrait not of choice but of a vast, predatory economy built on desperation and human suffering.

Sources & References

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