Melbourne, Aug 4 (ANI): In the hope to destroy some of the myths surrounding prostitution, an Australian researcher is on a lookout for men who visit prostitutes in New South Wales (NSW).

University of NSW criminologist Philip Birch wants to learn more about the motives of men who pay women for sex.

He is also keen to question women who accept payment from men.

“I don’t want to pre-empt the results, but I firmly believe it will turn out that the men who visit prostitutes are very ordinary, decent hard-working people,” Birch said.

Through the study, Birch hopes to question men about some of their most intimate desires, reports The Daily Telegraph.

“We want people to be honest with us about their motivation and learn about some of the contexts and settings,’ Birch said.

“It might be for the thrill or for the variety of sex. I also think we’ll find out that far from being a seedy industry, as it is often portrayed, it is shaped by morals and public values,” he added.

As well as potential myth-busting, the results of the study will be shared with the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP), a health and safety group, to help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

It could also help increase the safety of sex workers. (ANI)