Wouldn’t there be increased numbers of sex workers if we decriminalized the industry?
No. In those countries that have either legalized or decriminalized their sex industries, there has not been a drastic increase in the number of sex workers. The Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences demonstrated that no increase in street-based work occurred after the sex industry was decriminalized in New Zealand in 2003. They found that the number of street- workers only decreased with decriminalization (See http://www.chmeds.ac.nz/newsevents/media_release/sexworkersmyth.htm) Decriminalization may increase official reporting mechanisms, but there is no reason to expect an increase in the actual number of workers.
