Sex Work is Work
Sex Work. Now, what do you think of when you hear the term Sex Work? Do you think of prostitutes? Strippers? Pro-Dommes? WebCam Models? OnlyFans Pages and Models? In truth, this is all sex work in one form or another. Sex Work is the exchange of money or goods for consensual sexual services. This includes all types of pornography and all of us real time sex workers as well. Some of it is legal, some of it is illegal, but regardless, it is all sex work. A Pro-Domme should never look down on a Prostitute with disgust because like it or not sister, we’re all in this category together, even if we do or do not do the same exact things. You’re no better than her and she is no better than you doll. Neither are the CamGirls or PlayBoy models, it’s all “Sex Work,” and we’re all here, being judged, being criticized, having to tip toe around certain laws, watch what we say, what we do, how we do it, everything.
Honestly though, it’s the oldest career on the books. If a woman wanted to make it on her own and didn’t have an education, she had her body and only her body to rely on. Though because of the way sex was frowned upon and because so much was made taboo, of course, being a lady of the night was always thought of as “bad”. Not only that, but then, of course, you had men begin to infiltrate their way into things as Pimps and Johns, treating the women horrendously, taking them for all they were worth, but giving them the promise of protecting them, feeding them and sheltering them back in the days where it was easy enough to be taken advantage of, killed, taken by illnesses or left abandoned on the street. If most women were lucky they would work for a top grossing Madam who hosted rich men in the bigger cities Bordellos. Though even these women were by no account held to high standards, and their luck was only compared to those of the lower whore houses.
You may ask – why do people turn to sex work?
Well, there are many, many reasons. For some people this is the best option they have. For some, this is all they’ve ever known, they’ve grown up and were born into it, some are destitute and have no other choice, but look at what this entails for them. Dark streets, drugs, sleazy clients (sometimes, not judging all), but clients who will rape them, take advantage of them, the risk of disease, death, and so much more. And why is this? Because as a country we have decided to make this kind of sex work illegal, leaving them no choice. Then, when they are caught just trying to survive, what do we do? We throw them in jail! These are women trying to get by, take care of their babies and families, trying to make it on their own, do not for one second believe that every sex worker is some washed out junkie because this is not the truth. How do I know this? Well, from talking to a ton of them before. From working side by side with them. (In a club, I’ve never been a prostitute on the street, I’ve been blessed) But believing these women do not deserve better working conditions and better for themselves is the first place this country has gotten it wrong.
The second place we’ve gone wrong is our views of sex and the whole “taboo” surrounding sex overall. We treat sex, and nudity for that matter like it is the most disgusting thing in the world, like no one should be having it unless it’s missionary style, wholed up in a bedroom and between a man and wife. Bullshit people this is the 21st century, it’s time to start thinking differently.
And not only do we not allow sex work to be a safe and healthy practice for most sex workers, we criminalize it.
Now, why should sex work be decriminalized?
Criminalization of sex work drives sex work underground and compromises the health and safety of so many women (and men as well). It makes it harder for sex workers to negotiate terms with their clients, work with other sex workers for safety networks, and also carry condoms without fear that it will be used against them as evidence in a criminal case against them. So you see, criminalizing sex work comes with more repercussions than one may think about originally.
Sex Workers suffer from extreme violence from clients, police and from their “Pimps”. And with Sex Workers basically having no rights, it’s easy for them to be incarcerated and then exposed to even more abuse and retribution. There are thousands and thousands of women in every state sitting in jail cells for years simply because of non-violent sex crimes, like prostitution or soliciting prostitution.
So basically, Sex Workers have no place to go, no one safe to turn to, they are alone, struggling to make ends meet and survive with little to no help at all. Organizations that help struggling sex workers are very few and far between.
So, why don’t we go after the Pimps, Brothels and Prostitution Rings? This way we treat sex workers like victims and not as criminals? The only issue with this is is causes stigma against sex workers, no one wants to give them housing, social services, healthcare, etc. It does not address the fundamental problem that drives sex workers away from safety services in the first place.
In order for this to work, decriminalization must be accompanied by the realization that sex work IS work. Sex Work should be governed by labor laws, protected like other workers are protected, they deserve human rights just like everyone else does!
Think of the changes we could make if we set up safe houses and safe buildings where people who do sex work could work out of. Places where people and clients were screened, monitored, tested for diseases, made to wear condoms, birth control was an option, the place had bouncers like a strip club. There would be less violence, less spreading of diseases, unwanted pregnancies, less rape, no criminal activity involving the sex workers and less criminal activity involving the clients because they were being watched. It would solve an unbelievable amount of problems. The workers would become tax payers, functioning parts of society, they could have job security and more resources if they did NOT want to do that for a living because it would no longer be considered a criminal offense. There would no longer be 12 year old prostitutes roaming the streets, women sitting in jail for years simply for using their bodies to try and survive.
We’ve got it all wrong America. All wrong. Something needs to change.
I leave you with this > a webpage called Coyote Calls, it’s an entire page about how they are fighting for sex worker rights and trying to get women that are in prison for sex work out and they are trying to change the laws in the state of Rhode Island and change the views of politicians all over the country.
Also – you can sign up to be a PenPal of a sex worker who is currently sitting in jail. I did it, I had about 6 at one time going and I learned A LOT.
Do me a favor and take the time to look over the site, donate and get a PenPal. You won’t regret what it brings into your life. Because remember, I am a sex Worker and you support me, now support these women, they deserve it.
Coyote Calls Rhode Island – https://coyoteri.org/wp/
