by Hans Eisenbeis
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- While Americans are engaging in more hanky panky during the Great Recession, they seem to be doing it at home and on the cheap: The legal brothels of Nevada are suffering from the economic malaise (The Observer 6.28.09).
- According to the Nevada Brothel Owners’ Association, many of the state’s bordellos have taken a 60-70% hit in revenues. Even the busiest are off by 20%.
- This segment of the sex industry is getting a double whammy, because many women are looking for extra work during the recession, precisely at a time when there is less demand. That’s forced down prices and take-home pay for adult film stars, legal prostitutes and exotic dancers.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- Financial contraction goes hand in hand with physical contraction. That means consumers are spending more time at home — and less money.
- The Great Recession has helped put a moral spin back on how we spend money. Some vices may be recession-proof. But others, especially expensive ones, are not.
