An escort is an adult who offers erotic performances or consensual sexual services in exchange for money or goods, either occasionally or regularly. Also known as the world’s oldest profession, sex work is a controversial industry that not a lot of people are willing to understand.
Some people would rather see sex work criminalized and done away with, viewing it as exploitative and even inherently immoral. This view is mainly reinforced by the danger, crime, and drug addiction associated with the low-end sex workers – otherwise known as streetwalkers – who live in awful conditions and struggle with crime and drug addiction.
Others argue that the dangerous conditions are as a result of criminalizing sex work, and think it would be better if it were regarded as and regulated like other forms of labor.
This article explores some of the reasons that cause women to become ladies of the night or escorts and why men seek out their services.
Why Do Women Become Sex Workers?
Note that the definition above excludes those that are underaged and those coerced or ‘pimped’ into sex work. The reasons detailed below are accounts of real-life women involved in sex-trade.
For the Money
Money makes the world go around. Just like many other jobs, most of the people in it are there for the pay. For some, hailing from poor financial backgrounds make them open to more money-making options. Sex work, to them, is a welcome alternative compared to other jobs of the same pay.
In some cases, a lady could be in a situation that requires some quick cash. Serving as an escort for a night could be the best option, giving them the needed money without asking for too much in terms of time and commitment.
In other instances, some women have to study while at the same time taking care of their financials. Part-time stripping or escorting clients offers the best opportunity to make some good money without taking up all the time they need to study.
Friends, Influence, and Other Stories
In campus, having peers who are loaded and can afford to spend leisurely on the little pleasures of life can be daunting, especially if you are broke. When you learn that the source of the cash is from escort services, you will most likely be tempted to try it out if you are open to new experiences. Most girls introduced to sex work this way – not forced into it by circumstances – usually earn more since they could do without the money.
For the Thrill and the Freedom of It
Some girls find typical boyfriend-girlfriend arrangements boring and prefer to try out more exciting experiences. Such ladies find paid arrangements ideal and convenient since they will not be restricted to one sexual partner. Since different clients will have different needs and preferences, the sexually adventurous have the opportunity to explore and express their sexual freedom. According to one escort interviewed, she found the thought of someone paying them to have sex with them arousing in itself.
Sex Work as a Profession
When viewed from an industrial perspective, sex work for some women is a highly paid work that they approach with commitment and professionalism. High-end UK escorts charge thousands of euros for just a few hours of their time with clients. Some of these escorts invest a lot of time and effort to attain the level of expert service that men pay fortunes to experience. This could include learning new skills such as playing musical instruments, speaking multiple languages, and knowing how to make exotic meals.
Professional escorts offer a range of services that include dates, accompaniment to events, one-night stands, and even girlfriend experiences. Most of them view sex work as an essential service for those whose lifestyles and circumstances prevent them from experiences sexual intimacy in the usual way.
After-Campus Crisis
One factor that pushes a lot of women into sex work, especially after school, is the pressure of life in ‘the real world’. Just after completing school and getting the first job, parents tend to cut off their children to fend for themselves. The sudden pressure of having to take care of one’s bills could be overwhelming for some, causing them to seek out quicker and easier options for making ends meet. One escort explained in an interview how she started as a stripper to supplement her insufficient salary and ended up as a fulltime escort earning more than five times her initial salary.
Some habits – such as drug use – picked up during campus life when the support of the parent could be counted on become challenging to sustain, driving some girls into the dark corner of exchanging sexual favors for quick fixes. Such girls may end up charging desperate amounts for their services, causing them to live in deplorable conditions that make them easily exploitable by their clients.
It is easy to make generalizations on the reasons why women indulge in this controversial profession if you don’t understand both sides of the story. But sex work is a tango involving two willing parties. So what are the reasons men give for being facilitators of the night job?
Why Do Men Go to the Ladies of the Night?
Geeking and Commitment to Work
Imagine Tim, a thirty-four-year-old computer geek who has not had a very social life. Throughout school and university, when his peers were exploring their sexuality and kickstarting their sex lives, Tim was geeking away in his dormitory room, getting intimate with lines of code. He graduates and lands a lucrative IT job where the demands of work don’t leave him much room for social interaction or intimate relationships.
Not wanting to miss out completely on the sexual pleasures of life, Tim has to find convenient sex and a girlfriend experience that won’t dig too much into his time with his computer. Putting careful effort into the selection of the girls, he seeks out escorts who give him just what he wants; a fantasy without the emotional investment. Although he started out looking for a quick fix, Tim has found this arrangement convenient for him and has made it his lifestyle.
Sexual Frustration and Monotony
Sexual frustration is a big reason why men seek out the services of an escort. If one is not getting the desired amount or quality of sex from their partner, paying to explore with other people becomes a domestic option. Some UK escorts even say that they are genuinely concerned with the sexual satisfaction of their clients since some of them are usually sexually starved back home.
Sexual Fantasy
Visiting an escort is not just for those with a problem with their sex life. For some people, the reason they seek the service of escorts even when in loving relationships with their partners is because of the fantastic nature of bought intimacy. While sex with a regular partner is usually limited to the consensus of the involved parties, an escort can go out of her way to give their client the desired experience.
These are just some of the reasons why men pay for the services of escorts. There are more reasons including the need for human connection and company, curiosity, pressure from peers, and even as a drug-induced decision.
One takeaway from the discussion above is that there is nothing inherently immoral about women offering sex in exchange for goods or money and that there is nothing exploitative about the intention of a man to pay for sex. Therefore, criminalizing sex work only makes the conditions worse for the escorts as there is no way to regulate the business or to get justice for abuses from clients.