Klick, Jonathan; Stratmann, Thomas --- "Abortion Access and Risky Sex" [2011] ELECD 601; in Cohen, R. Lloyd; Wright, D. Joshua (eds), "Research Handbook on the Economics of Family Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: Research Handbook on the Economics of Family Law

Editor(s): Cohen, R. Lloyd; Wright, D. Joshua

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781848444379

Section: Chapter 9

Section Title: Abortion Access and Risky Sex

Author(s): Klick, Jonathan; Stratmann, Thomas

Number of pages: 9

Extract:

9 Abortion access and risky sex
Jonathan Klick and Thomas Stratmann


INTRODUCTION

Is risky sex subject to the law of demand? To an economist, such a question is trivial, while
the non-economist is likely to think the question is absurd. According to the economist,
all goods are subject to the law of demand, and risky sex is a good; therefore, we should
expect to see the demand for risky sex declining as its cost increases. Non-economists,
however, are likely to scoff at such a notion. Sex in general and risky sex in particular is
driven by emotions, and hormones, but rational cost-benefit analysis is likely to be absent
even on the margin.
As an empirical matter, examining the sensitivity of risky sex incidence to changes in
costs and benefits is tricky. First, there is no reliable data on the incidence of risky sex.
For many years, there are no real data available at all. Even when data have been col-
lected, however, there are serious concerns about the data's integrity. Second, it is hard
to quantify the inherently subjective costs and benefits associated with sexual activities.
Further, even if some metric were available, unobserved heterogeneity across individuals
would likely generate statistical identification problems.
However, in a series of papers, we have developed partial solutions to both of these
problems, allowing us to identify the relationship between risky sex behavior and at least
one major cost of risky sex ­ the risk of unwanted pregnancy. In this chapter, ...