Why Do Men Solicit Sex? Examining Etiology Through the Masculinities Theory

In sex work research, focus has centered around the sex worker rather than the solicitor. While more efforts have been made to fully understand the solicitor, little is known about their characteristics, specific behaviors, and etiology. Given that few studies have used criminological theories to explain solicitation, the current study aims to expand knowledge on this understudied population by using an existing theory, masculinities theory, to better understand why men solicit sex. Data, specifically scores on the Male Role Norms Inventory-Short Form (MRNI-SF), were collected from a sample of 86 solicitors of sex on probation in Texas: their characteristics were compared to data from a non-soliciting community sample (N = 444). Furthermore, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to examine how masculinities manifest in men who solicit sex. Findings revealed that solicitors of sex had factor scores consistent with three main factors of masculinity, and compared to non-solicitors, tend to endorse masculine traits and score higher on the MRNI-SF. The findings from this study can better inform researchers on how men who solicit sex differ from the general population and how solicitation is used for men to achieve their masculinity.