Hello
I was advised by a couple of people on a thread I had in Relationships section a while back to perhaps come on here, so here I am!
I have always had some sort of (rudimentary) feminist principles - I remember even when I was a child family members would comment on it! I have read Living Dolls, the Beauty Myth, and Female Chauvinist Pigs, although I do have mixed up not-quite-formed opinions. I have looked at Object, UKFeminista and also read A LOT of varied literature on the sex industry because I was a prostitute for 4 years and exited last year in 2010.
I have a job now in the "real world" and am a single parent to my 2 children, but I'm still trying to recover from my experiences and view of the world from the sex industry. I sometimes feel ashamed, can't look people in the eye, fear bumping into a previous punter, have nightmares and flashbacks as a result of violence which happened to me regularly - even in the indoor side of the industry - the violence only got a chance to actually properly injure me when I worked alone inside (the first half of my 'time') but still punters would regularly try violence even when there was security on the premises (the second half of my 'time'). I feel much more 'alive' now, however sometimes I feel detached and totally dissociated especially in large crowds. I have a skewed view of males which I am really trying hard to overcome (the idea of the thread in relationships) and have had one short-lived relationship with a man since I left the industry - he was not perfect, but certainly showed no big red flags (I'm well trained to spot them as I had to before for my survival). The relationship was marred by me having extreme 'freezing' and flashbacks and numbness during any kind of intimacy or sex, and extreme outbursts of anger from me afterwards. He was very understanding, but I feel I still need more time to rediscover my own sexuality.
A few things which I have found myself becoming interested in since are -
Objectification and sexualization of women and even children
Obviously the sex industry itself, particularly the elements of control which I know to be true in the industry (ie the men who buy sex are MOSTLY ALWAYS better off economically in the first place than the women whose bodies they buy and the vast majority enjoy the control and choice that permits - I know it, seen it first hand). Also, I know for a fact that the industry is changing and it is now very hard to get clients to agree to a condom for oral sex. 95% of workers - my educated estimate- now do Oral Without a Condom. And 'services' like come in mouth etc are becoming more and more 'expected' too. A large number of these punters have an unknowing partner whom they may very well pass on these infections to. I used to be so angry that I was expected to risk my own health in a big way so someone else could get maximum pleasure. Haggling over the price of a woman's body, rape, assault and requests for young teenagers were sadly quite common.
Porn, and it's effects on people's sexuality in general.
Employment rights - Although i had some support in finding a job it was EXTREMELY hard for me to find employment to fit around my responsibilities for the children, and took me a long time of applying for everything going. Women simply do not get the same opportunities as men because they are deemed to be responsible for not half of, but ALL of childcare and often housework too. I can only work 9-5 so that limits jobs I can take and advancements I could make, career-wise. I could live frugally on minimum wage full time work (I am very very NMW is in existence!) if I had no children, but if I had no other financial help like tax credits and CB I would not be able to feed my children.
Beauty and Cosmetic Surgery Industries - Whilst I do actually wear make up as I am self-concious of my eyes and acne scarring, and I actually prefer dresses and comfy wedge heels because it's easier dressing and also I am 5ft and like to reach things , I really feel my heart sink when a colleague goes to get botox in our lunch hour, takes me along with her to wait, and the staff offer me botox and fillers there and then (I'm 24!!!!) and also a tummy tuck when I mention I have kids! There are posters on the wall reading "Who wants to look their age?" showing a worried looking woman clutching her face and numerous newspaper and magazine clippings of 'success' stories.
Anyway, that was an extremely long introduction! >sorry!<
Basically I'm just looking to maybe (tentatively) join in, and if anyone has any other tips or resources on healing from the sex industry I'd welcome them.
I feel so angry that prostitution (especially stripping and 'high-end escorting', and porn) are being billed as "harmless" "empowering" and "fun". When every single woman I knew in the sex industry who remained longer than a few weeks (bar none, and I knew a LOT) had a history of either substance abuse, big childhood family issues coming from a very painful upbringing (me) , child sex abuse, or a mixture of all 3! I swear, every single one. I know that's just anecdotal evidence, but I did know a lot of sex workers personally. I cannot believe it is taking me so long to recover, I feel like I should be "over it" and living life to the full by now, but I'm not. I'm left with nightmares, panic attacks, feelings of worthlessness etc 18 months on, and the guilt that I feel I sort of 'brought it on myself' because I became entrenched stayed far longer after the initial extreme financial dire straits and debts which made me start were cleared.
Anyhow, must be longest thread in history x better go now x
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Recovery from Sex Industry?
70 replies
aliasforthis2 · 15/11/2011 22:04
OP posts:
TheButterflyEffect ·
16/11/2011 17:37
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