I've told this story before, but let me repeat it. I remember driving
down an interstate highway with three women in the car. We passed an
apartment complex near the highway. All the women were in their twenties
and one of them was named Bonnie. As we passed the apartments Bonnie
commented that she had lived there when she was thirteen. She started
reminiscing. She said that at thirteen she would walk up to the
interstate and hitch hike into town where she turned tricks on the
stroll. She said that often the person who picked her up would be her
first customer of the night. She said that she was not abused or
mistreated at home. She did not need the money. Anything that she bought
with the money she made her parents would have bought for her if she had
asked for it. And no one ever forced her to do it. She went on to say
that her motives were the adventure and the excitement of it all. I
don't know how long she worked as a street walker, but she had given it
up at the time she was telling the story except for an occasional trick
when she needed a little extra to pay a bill. Nevertheless, what she was
doing at the age of thirteen did launch her into a career in the sex
industry. She and the other two women were my coworkers at the time when
I was employed in a strip club. As I have said, I have known any number
of other prostitutes, but it is not like I interviewed any of them about
how they got started and what it led to. I just know that there were a
lot of stray comments to the effect that they really did not want to
work in that profession, that they regarded their customers with
contempt and that they needed the money and that this was the easiest
way of making money that they had available to them. That is, I concur
that it is not really a free choice. However, Bonnie's description of
how she was initiated into the business is about as close to it being a
free choice as you can get. Later on the choice may have become less
free, but it is hard to say that she did not choose to start it out.
On 10/30/2015 10:07 PM, Miriam Vieni wrote:
Abby,
You'd really be interested in this book. Rachel began prostituting at age 14
and she describes what her family and childhood were like and how her
experiences led to prostitution. From what I've read so far, I believe that
she thinks that all women who become prostitutes, do so because of financial
necessity and very often also, psychological and/or sexual damage that has
befallen them. In the part of the book that I'm reading right now, I think
she's trying to say that becoming a prostitute is never a choice that is
freely made and that the images in books or films of happy or contented
prostitutes, are false.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Abby Vincent
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 7:00 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Prostitution: Being Raped for a Living
Let's start by saying there's no such thing as a child prostitute. Girls
under eighteen should never be regarded as engaging in free enterprise.
They can't consent to sex. If police are involved, they should be
protecting these girls as victims, not arresting them as criminals.
Abby
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Miriam Vieni
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 2:43 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Prostitution: Being Raped for a Living
Bob,
I'm reading her book now. I think you might want to read it. It is very
informative and well written. I have not gotten to the point in the book
where she talks about solutions, but what she does make clear is her very
strong belief, backed up with experience and observation, that women who are
prostituted, are always in danger, that the choice is not a free one but
dictated by the circumstnces of their lives, and that the image of a woman,
in charge of her life, making a free choice to be a high class escort, is a
myth which has nothing to do with the reality of the business. She also
says, and you need to read the book to understand why, that a woman working
on the street, is much more capable of protecting herself from danger than
one working in a hotel or a brothel. The book is on Bookshare. Paid For: My
Journey Through Prostitution.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 5:17 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Prostitution: Being Raped for a Living
Hi Miriam,
Rachel's is indeed a tragic story given that she was a child prostitute and
the violence she endured.
As I read more and more articles on both sides of the prostitution
legalization debate I am coming to believe that perhaps whether prostitution
should be legal or illegal is not the most important question. Perhaps it is
that the more important question is why do we allow any kind of violence
against women? And, boy do we ever allow such violence. Whether the sex is
paid for or not, nonconsentual touching or penetration ought to be dealt
with quickly and harshly. IT seems to me that whether or not prostitution is
legal does not determine the level of violence and violation. And, we've got
a long way to go if we ever do want to get serious about putting an end to
the violence and violation. Heck, we can't even stem the tide of human
trafficking of minors! WE need to create an environment where all women are
better protected from violence and violation. That goes for your girlfriend,
your wife, your stister and the local prostitute as well. Bob Hachey