I suppose that Rachel's response would be that Bonnie was using denial,
i.e., lying to herself, when she told you that story about why she turned
her first trick. However, even if Bonnie's story is accurate, the question
remains as to why she continued. Rachel says that the prostitute is
consistently functioning in a defensive mode because the men who use
prostitutes can be dangerous. Their reasons for using prostitutes have to do
with their need for power and control and their wish to do things that they
would not do with the women in their lives. If they wanted sex within a
normal context, it is available to them without resort to paying a
prostitute. So the prostitute has to be on guard against her customer's
violence at all times. She describes some of the things that customers do to
the bodies of prostitutes.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran
Bailey (Redacted sender "rogerbailey81" for DMARC)
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 11:44 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Prostitution: Being Raped for a Living
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,enterprise.
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
They can't consent to sex. If police are involved, they should beThrough Prostitution.
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
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
