Paid sexual exchanges are far more common among young adults than once thought, new study suggests
More than a third of U.S. adults aged 18 to 34 report having provided sexual acts or materials for pay, from sexting to in-person sex. A traditional single survey question captured less than a quarter of that rate.
A recent study reveals that a significant portion of young adults in the United States engage in paid sexual exchanges, far exceeding previous estimates. According to a nationally representative survey, 36% of young adults have provided in-person sexual acts or virtual sexual materials for financial compensation, compared to just 8.3% when asked a single question in the same survey. This discrepancy highlights the underreporting of such activities due to social stigma.
The study, published in The Journal of Sex Research, categorizes paid sexual exchanges into virtual and in-person forms. Virtual exchanges include sexting, phone sex, explicit photos or videos, and online companionship, while in-person exchanges encompass vaginal, oral, or anal sex, sexual touching, exotic dancing, and paid companionship. The research found that 28% of participants provided virtual sexual materials or services for pay, while 26% engaged in in-person sexual acts for compensation.
The survey, conducted online in April 2026, targeted English-speaking U.S. adults aged 18 to 34. The sample was statistically weighted to reflect the demographics of U.S. young adults. Participants completed a 10-item questionnaire to identify specific acts and answer follow-up questions on starting age, coercion, reasons, and consequences.
The study also included screenings for depression symptoms, PTSD among trauma survivors, problematic alcohol and drug use, adverse childhood experiences, rape victimization, discrimination, and social support.
The findings indicate that paid sexting or phone sex was the most common form of compensation at 22%, followed by erotic dancing or stripping at 5.8%. Prevalence varied across identity groups, with cisgender women and transgender or nonbinary young adults reporting higher rates, as did bisexual and other sexual minority respondents compared to heterosexual peers.
Non-Hispanic Black participants also reported higher rates than non-Hispanic white and Asian participants. Higher education levels, lower income, employment status, and parenthood were associated with increased likelihood of engaging in compensated sexual exchanges.
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