Posted on 09/13/2003 8:18:30 AM PDT by billyhick
The notorious former Hollywood Madam says prostitution laws suit men, not women
Nadya Labi Saturday September 13, 2003 The Guardian
Why did I become a madam?... One day I just realised that I could run a sex business better than anyone else I knew. My first client was a Swiss businessman who was in Los Angeles with six acquaintances. I set the men up with some girls I knew and all of them were very happy. The word spread and demand snowballed after that. I tried to stay in college and run the business at the same time, but it was too hard skipping out of class to arrange get-togethers...
I would fly girls to meet clients in St Tropez, London, or wherever they were in the world. Just from talking to a man, I knew what kind of girl he'd be interested in.
I made sure never to send a prostitute into an unsafe situation or one where she felt humiliated or degraded. I was always conscious of how prostitution could lower a woman's self-esteem and I didn't want anyone who worked for me to feel that way. My clients were some of the richest men in the world. They wanted to look the best and live the longest. They were at the doctor regularly. I never had one girl come down with an STD, not even crabs. But I told my girls that if they ever felt uncomfortable with a client, they should call me and I would get them out of there - no matter where they were. I made my first million after only four months.
I wouldn't recommend prostitution as a career because it doesn't have great long-term prospects. Still, a woman should have the right to do what she wants with her body... She might need to do it for a month or two because she has no family, no money, nothing. The money could help her to do something positive with her life, like start a business or go to college. I remember a girl who came to me with choke marks around her neck. She was in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend and wanted me to help her get out of it. I recommended that she work at a restaurant for six months, but eventually I let her work for me. She made a quarter of a million her first time. She turned one more trick and then retired from the business to get a master's degree at the University of California, Los Angeles...
Prostitution should be legalised throughout the US. The laws are currently written by and for men. I've been out of the business for 10 years, but I still hear stories of men who hit women, walk out without paying, or write cheques to hookers and then stop payment. It's outrageous. Here's a woman who has performed a service to the best of her abilities and to her client's satisfaction. But nothing will happen to that client because he knows he won't be prosecuted for refusing to pay for sex. They go after the women in those cases, not the men.
There is no downside to legalising prostitution. The government would benefit by collecting taxes on the industry. And regulation would clean up a lot of crime and help to protect women. Now, there are hotshot guys who beat up prostitutes and smack them around because they know they can get away with it. I remember some girls who approached me after working for illegal sex houses, "pussy factories". You wouldn't believe what went on in these places. A girl would stay at the factory and have sex with five to 10 guys every day for anywhere from $300 to $700 [£200 to £450] a pop. Some of the people running the factories would threaten the hookers and force them to stay. One girl told me that some guy gave her crack every morning so that she wouldn't make a fuss.
Prostitution doesn't have to be like that... You can't stop sex. And sex for money will happen no matter what. Why make it a criminal experience?
· As told to Nadya Labi. From Legal Affairs, Sept/Oct (subs $57.95 for six issues, www.legalaffairs.org
Who on earth would pay a quarter million for a whore????
Usually you have to pay extra for that :-)
I bet Heidi Fleiss is a Democrat too.
Isn't that about how much X42 ended up paying?
Really?
So...there is no moral judgement that can be made by people?
With that line of thinking, murder (or any other despicable act) isn't wrong, shouldn't be punished, and only judged by God. Wow. Deep.
Gee, ya think? :o)
She's certainly not a lady.
Ever hear of AIDS? Prostitutes are disease vectors.
And a law against prostitution reduces that harm in what way, and at what cost?
You have me there. It seems like a losing battle.
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