Socioeconomic determinants of the monthly income of women in prostitution in Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18041/2539-3669/gestion_libre.20.2025.13564Keywords:
Informal Economy, Income, Econometric Model, Migrant Women, ProstitutionAbstract
Introduction: Forced migration and international migration flows generate profound socioeconomic transformations that affect women differently, especially in border contexts characterized by high levels of informal employment. In the city of Cúcuta, Venezuelan migration is linked to highly precarious subsistence strategies, including prostitution, an activity marked by stigma, lack of social protection, and limited opportunities for formal employment.
Objective: To analyze the socioeconomic determinants of the monthly income of Venezuelan women engaged in prostitution in the city of Cúcuta, based on empirical evidence that allows us to understand the economic dynamics that shape this activity in a context of migration and vulnerability.
Results: Most women earn incomes close to the current legal minimum wage, have low or medium levels of education, and work primarily in part-time shifts. The econometric model shows that educational level and hours worked are positively associated with monthly income, whereas variables such as marital status and the number of children are negatively associated. The model demonstrates adequate statistical fit and overall significance.
Conclusion: The monthly income of Venezuelan women in prostitution is conditioned by structural factors linked to human capital and work intensity, in a context of high social and economic vulnerability.
Downloads
References
Agustín, L. M. (2019). Sex at the margins: Migration, labour markets and the rescue industry. US: Zed Books.
Appe, S., Araque, L. Y., & Telch, F. (2025). Migration Crisis in the Andes: A Case Study of Localization and Acompañamiento from Medellin, Colombia. Nonprofit Policy Forum, 16(2), 203-228. https://doi.org/10.1515/npf-2023-0056
Bautista, G. O., Kroeger, A., Castillo, N. R., Osorio-Sánchez, E. J., Gonzales-Escobar, D. S., Olarte, R., & Diaz-Monsalve, S. (2025). Facing migration under adverse conditions: challenges and resilience in the Colombo-Venezuelan border area. BMC Public Health, 25(261), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-21222-0
Brisson, J., Ramírez-Tovar, J. C., Kelika-Konda, J. G., Silva-Santisteban, A., & Perez-Brumer, A. (2026). Post-migration sexual health and pleasure among gay and bisexual venezuelan migrant men in Lima, Peru. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 110, 1-10. https://doi-org.sibulgem.unilibre.edu.co/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102321
Borjas, G. J. (2014). Labor economics (6th ed.). US: McGraw-Hill Education.
Castel, R. (1997). La metamorfosis de la cuestión social. España: Paidós.
CEPAL. (2002). Vulnerabilidad sociodemográfica: viejos y nuevos riesgos para comunidades, hogares y personas. Chile: Naciones Unidas.
Cogo, D., & Camargo, J. (2025). Migration and the implications of digitalization on the Brazil–Venezuela border. International Migration, 63(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.70015
Fields, G. S. (2011). Labor market analysis for developing countries. US: World Bank.
Irons, R., & Brown, K. (2025). Introduction: Venezuela, Dispersed: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Venezuelan Migration. Bulletin of Latin American Research, 44(1), 3-5. https://doi.org/10.1111/blar.13618
Juliano, D. (2017). La prostitución: El espejo oscuro. España: Icaria Editorial.
Kaztman, R. (2000). Activos y estructuras de oportunidades. Chile: CEPAL.
Lines, T., Curcio, B., Grugel, J., Riggirozzi, P., & Cintra, N. (2025). Visual Narratives of Care and Reproduction in Forced Migration: Women Displaced from Venezuela to Brazil. Bulletin of Latin American Research, 44(1), 33-48. https://doi.org/10.1111/blar.13579
Maldonado, E. J., González-Argote, D., Eslava-Zapata, R., & Pérez-Gamboa, A. J. (2024). Las brechas laborales que afectan a las mujeres desde la perspectiva de las ciencias económicas: un análisis de la producción científica en la base de datos Scopus. Suma de Negocios, 15(33), 167-181. https://doi.org/10.14349/sumneg/2024.V15.N33.A9
Meneses-Falcón, C., & García-Vázquez, O. (2023). Prostitución, violencia y migraciones femeninas en España. Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals, 133, 113-135. doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2023.133.1.113
Migración Colombia. (2021). Radiografía de la migración venezolana en Colombia. Colombia: Gobierno de Colombia.
Migración Colombia. (2021). Caracterización de la población migrante venezolana en Colombia. Colombia: Gobierno de Colombia.
Moser, C. (1998). The asset vulnerability framework: Reassessing urban poverty reduction strategies. World Development, 26(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(97)10015-8
OIM. (2020). Informe sobre las migraciones en el mundo 2020. US: OIM.
OIM. (2019). Glosario sobre migración (2.ª ed.). US: OIM.
OIT. (2018). Women and men in the informal economy: A statistical picture (3rd ed.). US: OIT.
Ramírez-Hernández, A. G. (2024). El emprendimiento migrante venezolano en México. Región Científica, 3(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.58763/rc2024201
Stonawski, M., & Brzozowski, J. (2025). Migration from Venezuela and Ukraine: a comparative analysis of settlement intentions and labour market outcomes in Peru and Poland. Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, 67, 89-106. https://doi.org/10.12775/bgss-2025-0006.
Su, Y., Valiquette, T., & Cunha, C. D. O. (2025). Networks of South–South Queer Forced Migration: LGBTQ+ Venezuelans in Northern Brazil During COVID-19. Global Networks, 25, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/glob.70017
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Gestión y Desarrollo Libre
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
