ISSN: 0973-5089 | [email protected]

Deviant Men, Prostitution, and the Internet: A Qualitative analysis of Men who killed Prostitutes whom they met online

Kelly Beckham, Ariane Prohaska

University of Alabama, USA

Abstract:

Prostitutes are frequently victims of violence due to the dangerous nature of their work. Some prostitutes have even been murdered in the process of conducting business. Many sex workers are advertising on the Internet to extend their client base. Online advertising leads to fewer prostitutes, which challenges law enforcement to change how the crime is patrolled (Ross, 2011). In this study, we analyze news articles discussing men who killed prostitutes whom they met on websites, such as Craigslist.com. We analyze descriptions of the offenders, looking for characteristics that may be similar to sexual killers who had not used the Internet to find their victims. Our findings indicate that the Internet may be creating a typical offender, but more research is unquestionably needed on this area.

Keyword:

Prostitution, cybersex, deviance, homicide, life course theory.