Don’t underestimate the contributions men have made to resources about sex work! Men in sex work have developed resources to support each other, like HOOKonline, and have written for anthologies and magazines about sex work. Men have highlighted the inadequacy of imagining that all sex workers are female, and men in the business make ridiculous the claim that sex work is based upon male dominance over women.

Men who aren’t involved in the industry, and everybody, can play a publicly supportive role even as simply as reiterating that human rights and labor rights are for everybody, and that sex worker rights are human rights. Support from people outside the industry is critical to securing sex worker rights. There are many ways to support sex workers: read and offer supportive comments online, attend an event, find out about advocacy for the rights of sex workers.

Please also read How to Be An Ally to Sex Workers, compiled by SWOP Chicago.

Jocelyn Elders, the former controversial U.S. Surgeon General who was coined ‘The Condom Queen’ says “We talk about spreading disease and things of that sort, but when we check, the facts are that there is no difference in the disease rates among the sex workers and the rest of the population.  But you would expect that because sex is their business and they are very well informed about keeping themselves healthy through safe sex.”  -from Prostitution: On Whores, Hustlers, and Johns

Safer sex and how it is practiced may ultimately depend on the type of sex work one is involved in. Different types of sex work may pose different sexual risk.  For example, one may be more concerned about sanitizing equipment than wearing a condom, if there is no sexual intercourse involved.  Some clients may offer more money to engage in sex without a condom.  However, some sex workers have come up with safe sex strategies to still protect themselves without the client knowing, and some others decline clients refusing to practice safe sex.

Having contact with sex worker support organizations and/or health clinics, having peer support, and the length of time working in the industry are just a few factors that may influence a sex worker to practice safe sex.

This question was answered by Kevicha Echols, one of the founders of Sex Work Awareness.

This video, made by members of Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) Chicago, is specifically about the legal situation in Chicago and is not made by lawyers – it’s made by and for sex workers. That said, it’s a really great tool for teaching sex workers how to handle themselves if they get arrested.

Though there are plenty of jobs in the sex industry that are perfectly legal to do – stripping (though degree of nudity depends on local laws), phone sex, and porn in some states are just a few examples – the act of exchanging sex for money (definitions of “sex” vary) is illegal in most places in the United States.

Online resources for women who work as escorts and the men who hire them often promote the idea of “money for companionship” as a way around the illegality of “money for sex.” This is why smart escorts advertise hourly rates, but don’t structure their rates around sex acts – ie there is no public evidence that they charge for specific sex acts (often referred to as “extras”).

However, just because a sex worker uses this clear language and doesn’t discuss sex acts with a client, the reality is that this does not make him or her immune to arrest.

This video is about what to do in that awful reality: what to say, what tactics police use to get a sex worker to admit his or her guilt, what a sex worker’s rights are, and some of the myths that are perpetuated by escorts, like the idea that a cop has to tell you he’s a cop if you ask him point blank (he doesn’t, and in fact some cops may go through with the sex act before arresting a sex worker).

This video was made by Red Light District Chicago.

Chez Stella, an awesome Canadian sex worker support organization that offers up information in both English and French, has just debuted a new pamphlet, 14 Answers to Your Questions.

Here are the questions they answer:

1. WHY USE THE TERM SEX WORK INSTEAD OF PROSTITUTION?

2. WHAT DO SEX WORKERS DO?

3. WHY DO SEX WORKERS DO THIS WORK?

4. IS PROSTITUTION LEGAL IN CANADA?

5. WHAT DO SEX WORKERS AGREE OR REFUSE TO DO?

6. ARE SEX WORKERS UNDER THE CONTROL OF PIMPS?

7. DO SEX WORKERS HAVE A LOVE LIFE?

8. DO SEX WORKERS DISCUSS THEIR WORK WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY?

9. HAVE SEX WORKERS BEEN SEXUALLY ABUSED DURING THEIR CHILDHOOD?

10. DO SEX WORKERS USE DRUGS?

11. ARE SEX WORKERS VULNERABLE TO HIV?

12. WHAT IMPACT DOES SEX WORK HAVE ON THE HEALTH OF WORKERS?

13. WHAT DO SEX WORKERS NEED?

14. HOW TO BETTER INTERVENE WITH SEX WORKERS?

You can read the answers or download a PDF of the booklet here.

Definition
Reviews boards were created for people, mostly men, to leave written accounts of their experiences with sex workers (usually escorts who advertise their services online, whom they often refer to as providers).  These accounts are descriptive stories on what transpired between them and the person they hired for services. Their stories could be simple notes saying, “I met Krista for drinks and a date and had a wonderful time,” or they could be much more sexually explicit, “Krista provided oral sex without a condom”.

Review boards have different formats for stories. To me, the term “review” was really coined by boards using a rating system. With this system, men are able rate their experiences, services and looks of the provider on a scale of 1 to 10.

Review Pros & Cons
The majority of providers today have reviews on multiple boards about their services with links to their contact information.  Many of these women rely on these reviews in order to make it as sex workers. A provider with great reviews is guaranteed appointments from men in his/her area because of positive comments.

Review boards allow the board members to know which providers gave great service and which ones are scams or rip-offs.

Reviews are not always a positive marketing tool though. The negative things about reviews are:
1.    Unreasonable expectations: If a provider provides a service for one client, and he writes about it, the next client might expect the same thing and the provider may not want to give that service to the next client. That client might then write a negative review of her.
2.    Maliciousness: Some clients who are “hardcore” hobbyists won’t leave good reviews no matter how hard the provider worked to fulfill their requests because of what we call a “God” complex. No woman can meet their expectation, short of 8 positions, the blow job of a lifetime and no condom – of course.
3.    Negative reviews: Negative reviews can kill a provider’s business.
4.    Legal ramifications: Sexually explicit reviews are admissible in court if a provider is prosecuted for solicitation.
5.    Rating systems: One client’s “8” is another client’s “4”. The system is not balanced and there is no standard. It’s based on preferences and appeal, or to use the phrase so often used on the boards: your mileage may vary (YMMV).

Does A Provider Need Reviews?
The answer is NO. The only reason a provider has to have reviews is if he/she wants them. Once a sex worker becomes established in this industry, a lot of them realize that they can survive without reviews. They have to increase their web presence, invest more money in advertising and network a bit more with other providers.

What Happens When A Provider Pulls Reviews?
If a provider finds that being rated like USDA Beef is not such a great thing, she can request removal of reviews on some boards. Then the emotional up and down caused by reviews disappears. They also find the quality of his/her clients increase.  But there are some that find they can’t make it without reviews, so they have to have them reinstated (this is largely dependent on their market).

–Callie Simms

The term “provider” was developed by clients of sex workers (also known as “hobbyists”) who write detailed stories of their experiences with sex workers on discussion-oriented websites known as Review Boards. The term became commonplace in the adult world, replacing terms like sex worker or prostitute because the activities involved were not as simple as, “sexual services given in exchange for money”. The term also gave the industry a gender-neutral term to describe all sex workers; as sex workers can be male, female, couples and /or transgender. They can also be straight, gay or bisexual.

Providers fulfill a variety of sexual needs.  Often these sexual needs are not even sexual in nature, except for the person who has the need.  For example, services such as foot fetish, BDSM, tantra, role-play, sensual massage, et cetera, don’t have entail penetration and may not even include sexual release.  A provider offers sexual relief for their client who is unable to attain sexual fulfillment any other way.

–Callie Simms

5:30AM – Wake up, 3 days a week, 30 minutes of Pilates.
6:15AM – Powerwalk 2 – 4 miles per day.
7:40AM – Bath.
8:00AM – Breakfast, Oatmeal and berries. Only thing I ever eat.
8:30AM – News.
9:00AM – Check all five email accounts.
10:00AM – Finish email and look at daily schedule.
11:00AM – Website updates, blogging and social networks.
12:00PM – Weekly ads to industry boards.
12:30PM – Catch up on discussion board topics and read/reply.
1:00PM – Lunch
1:30PM – Get ready for client. Laundry, clean up incall, set out whatever I need, prep my massage table.
2:00PM – Change clothes, do make up, light candles and hit the music.
2:30PM – Client arrives for session.
4:00PM – Client leaves.
4:10PM – Clean up, put sheets in hamper and straighten up so everything is back to “normal.”
4:30PM – Run to Trader Joes and Target
5:30PM – Back to computer, check email and do responses, set my schedule for the week regarding mainstream work, meetings and client appointments. Set my schedule for anything I have to write that week, including my own blogs.
6:30PM – Duck out for 20 minute jog.
7:00PM – Dinner.
7:50PM – Wine and back at the computer, update the girl’s sites that I maintain and design.
9:00PM – Clean house. Vacuum, clean up dishes.
9:15PM – Start Laundry get a load done.
10:00PM – Couch, 30 minutes of TV.
10:30PM – Sleep.

Monday is my busiest day.

–Callie Simms

When they called to confirm my address for the private car they were sending for me, I grilled them again about what exactly we’d be talking about, and they were adamant that there wouldn’t be time for me to talk about anything other than my personal experience. Suddenly, the fact that I’d be spending several very stressful unpaid hours at their studio seemed a lot less awesome. If I took them up on having a concealed identity, I would be forfeiting my time so they could have a story, and I’d hope they didn’t edit too brutally to make me look stupid, slutty, or victimized. If I didn’t conceal my identity, I would try to steer them away from the personal details and talk about $pread, but I’d have to deal with fallout from family (I’d recently come out to my immediate family). There was no guarantee that I would benefit from the exposure, except I’d probably get more press requests.

In the years since I shocked that network by saying I didn’t care about being on TV, I’ve turned down a pretty significant number of media requests – though I say yes more than I say no.

When I get a media request, I always ask myself: what will I get out of this interview? If the answer is that I’ll get a chance to give a sex worker and/or sex worker advocate perspective on the issue, that it furthers the cause of sex workers rights, that I can do it with minimal conflict with whatever else I’m working on at the time, or that it might boost sales of my book, I usually say yes. But if I feel that it will take up a lot of time, be stressful, represent me and my work poorly, that I could tell the story better in another venue, or I get a weird vibe from the reporter, then I say no.

Those are my personal rules. I get a lot of media requests because of my public visibility and my general outness about sex work. Journalists often contact sex workers through their online ads or portfolio websites to talk about their personal experiences, and they will often want to hear about the personal experiences of the people who work at advocacy organizations. Here are some things to think about.

Sex worker and blogger Debauchette has a post about participating in an interview with Diane Sawyer on an ABC News, in which her identity was concealed (both voice and appearance), but her parents were watching it and they recognized her. Read the post here.

Some things for sex workers to consider when you get a media request:

• If the request is to tell your personal story – what do you get out of it? The joy of being heard by a broad public audience? Exposure that might get you more work (like a book deal, etc)? Money (unlikely)?
• What do you stand to lose?
• Will your clients, coworkers, employers, friends and family recognize you? How will this affect your relationships?
• What steps will the media outlet take to protect your identity and livelihood?
• How long will the interview last? With what media will it be recorded? Where will it take place? Where will your words/image appear?
• Is there a media outlet you’d feel more comfortable telling this story to? Can you tell it yourself on a blog, in a personal essay in a magazine, to a different reporter, etc?
• In your gut, do you believe the interviewer will respect you and represent you carefully and fairly?

Some things for media to consider when sending an inquiry to a sex worker:

• How can you protect the sex worker’s job and identity? Does the media outlet you work for require people interviewed to give their full legal names? Be upfront about this.
• How will you conduct your fact-checking? How can the sex worker assist you without risk of exposure?
• How can you make yourself accountable to the people you interview? If a person you interview is upset about the way you represented him or her, how will you act to rectify the situation

Do you have suggestions for both sex workers and people who want to interview them? Leave them in the comments.

–Audacia Ray

The questions they want to ask, but usually don’t until after a few drinks is: “Do you have sex with your clients?” If I’m feeling randy, I’ll reply, “Only with my fist”—and make it clear by hitting my fist into my palm like a tough guy that I don’t mean hand-jobs.

No. I don’t have conventional sex with my clients. In fact, approximately 80 percent of my clients don’t have sexual orgasms during our sessions. In BDSM, there is such a thing called the masochist-climax, when the body goes through waves of euphoria induced by the overwhelming sensations—be it pain, pleasure, or a combination thereof. But I do consider professional domination to be part of the sex industry. I put things—metal things, silicone things, rubber things—into people’s places. They don’t put things into my places. They aren’t allowed to even touch me.

I am proud of being a professional dominatrix, but I will admit to being on defensive autopilot when I get unsolicited questions from people who are not familiar with BDSM. I think it’s important to break down stereotypes of media’s flat version of the latex dominatrix and I do enjoy educating; but not all the time, not at every dinner party, nor in a bar full of metrosexuals who look fashionably more fetishistic than I do. So from behind the safe shield of my laptop, I’ve opened my last article for questions and I’m ready to peel back every veil requested. So let’s dance.

She also responds to the following questions:

How have you seen yourself grow or evolve as a professional in the time since you’ve been one?

How has it affected your personal life?

Do you find that the pro work increases or decreases your enjoyment of BDSM in your personal life? Does play in your personal life ever feel like work?

Have you found that attitudes to your profession or the lifestyle have changed over the past few years?

When someone you’ve just met asks what you do for a living, how do you respond?

What’s the best and worst part of being a pro?

Click here to read her answers.

What Are the Advantages of Sex Work?
Money. Prices range from $250-400+ per hour for internet escorts to $50-$100 per act for street workers.

Independence. Unless you work for an agency, you are your own boss. You set your own hours, rates, and rules.

Pursuit of Dreams. Since you can make $1000 per week by only working four hours, you have the freedom to pursue priorities that meaningful to you: family, school, creative endeavors, etc.

Personal Empowerment. It’s extremely empowering for a woman in today’s society to earn high dollar wages without the expense of a high dollar education. It’s also empowering to enjoy sexual freedom without the baggage of societal standards that don’t necessarily apply to the way you define your own sexuality.

Community. The sex worker community is very supportive of each other. We’re family! We look out for each other: we have an intricate system of communication to alert each other of bad clients and possible legal entrapments; we gather together at SWOP meetings and events; and we’re happy to share clients with each other.

What Are the Disadvantages?
Criminalization & Legal exposure. It’s illegal to be a sex worker in America except for certain places in Nevada [editor's note: it's illegal to practice sex for money, but there are many kinds of sex work that are perfectly legal]. In Arizona, if you get convicted of prostitution (misdemeanor charge), you face mandatory jail time – including a six month prison sentence and a Class 5 felony upon a fourth offense! However, there are security precautions you can take to avoid getting busted; for instance, most newspaper and internet escorts don’t see clients who haven’t been pre-screened.

Social stigma. Sex workers are notoriously maligned in our culture. We dream of the day when sex work is widely perceived as an honorable, important and vital contribution to the emotional, physical and mental health of both the sex workers and the clients.

Workplace Safety. Whether it’s on the streets, in our homes or in five star resorts, the fact is that sex workers do not enjoy the same rights as other Americans when it comes to their work (which by the way, is a PRIVATE and CONSENSUAL act between two adults.) Because we are criminalized and stigmatized, we are vulnerable to violence and exploitation.

Street workers have a higher chance of running into clients who may rob or harm them. Internet escorting tends to be much safer, however, since clients must pass a rigorous screening process in order to be seen.

Burn out. Sex workers are prone to burn out like everyone else, but there are steps you can take to keep yourself healthy and safe.

Competition. Just like any other business where top dollar earnings are at stake, the competition can be fierce in certain cities. But fear not: there’s a niche market for every type of sex worker.