I hope it doesn't sound like I'm victimizing the prostitute. But here's a long comment. I watched a 20/20 segment on Prostitution this evening and found myself asking a lot of questions. They interviewed a variety of female prostitutes, though I believe they hadn't interviewed any male prostitutes. But it really just scratched the surface. You would probably need all the time available to explain the different aspects of prostitution. But anyway, I had some questions of my own. Feel free to respond and give opinions. 1) A prostitute said she'd rather sell her body and make her own money that way rather than depending on a man for financial support. I can agree with financial independence, but is prostitution really being financially independent? Can anyone truly be financially independent? Prostitutes depend on men/women to earn an income. I guess one could argue retailers depend on customers to spend money in the stores so they earn a profit. etc. 2) A prostitute mentioned that non-prostitute women should please her man or he will find it somewhere else. I personally qualify having sex with a prostitute, or a non-prostitute, while in a relationship an act of cheating/betrayal. Sex with a prostitute, intern, sister-in-law, whatever, while in a relationship qualifies as cheating. And I don't want to hear krap about biology and how guys are programmed that way, etc. Aren't we as humans supposed to be smarter than animals? Do we not just stoop to a new low by using the biology excuse? I find it ridiculous that married men, or just men in relationships, seek this stuff out. I'm sure it's not anything new. Plus, I couldn't help but feel the prostitutes were validating men's weaknesses because of their (the prostitutes') weaknesses. Another woman mentioned she went into nursing and said she would work some-odd hours a week to earn the money she earns in just one day being a prostitute. 3) There were interviews with women who were not so much the "high class" models. They seemed to mention the "Pretty Woman fantasy" a lot. 4) A prostitute says she had been in foster care all her life and decided to go into prostitution to make money so she could go to school. I hold men accountable as well for prostitution. The thing that men want to stop is the very thing men seek. For instance, look at David Vitter. Good wholesome guy on the outside. However, he has been with prostitutes playing out diaper fantasies (and he got to stay in office. WTF?). Take Newt Gingrich. The very man who was pointing the finger at Bill Clinton for the Monica Lewinsky spiel was the very same person who was having an affair with someone himself. Or recently Eliot Spitzer. I'm just giving high-profile people and not examples of regular people. It just seems the very people who can stop this (and by "stopping" I mean quit going to prostitutes) are the ones putting more flame to the fire. BUT... There was the issue of legalization in Las Vegas. Prostitutes get health screenings (I forget how often a month) but get tested for HIV/AIDS each month (I believe). One of the prostitutes, however, said she didn't get paid as much and she wanted out. She was a heroin user. A lot of them were except for maybe one or two of the women.
Comment Part I
Date: 2008-03-22 04:12 am (UTC)1) A prostitute said she'd rather sell her body and make her own money that way rather than depending on a man for financial support. I can agree with financial independence, but is prostitution really being financially independent? Can anyone truly be financially independent? Prostitutes depend on men/women to earn an income. I guess one could argue retailers depend on customers to spend money in the stores so they earn a profit. etc.
2) A prostitute mentioned that non-prostitute women should please her man or he will find it somewhere else. I personally qualify having sex with a prostitute, or a non-prostitute, while in a relationship an act of cheating/betrayal. Sex with a prostitute, intern, sister-in-law, whatever, while in a relationship qualifies as cheating. And I don't want to hear krap about biology and how guys are programmed that way, etc. Aren't we as humans supposed to be smarter than animals? Do we not just stoop to a new low by using the biology excuse? I find it ridiculous that married men, or just men in relationships, seek this stuff out. I'm sure it's not anything new.
Plus, I couldn't help but feel the prostitutes were validating men's weaknesses because of their (the prostitutes') weaknesses.
Another woman mentioned she went into nursing and said she would work some-odd hours a week to earn the money she earns in just one day being a prostitute.
3) There were interviews with women who were not so much the "high class" models. They seemed to mention the "Pretty Woman fantasy" a lot.
4) A prostitute says she had been in foster care all her life and decided to go into prostitution to make money so she could go to school.
I hold men accountable as well for prostitution. The thing that men want to stop is the very thing men seek. For instance, look at David Vitter. Good wholesome guy on the outside. However, he has been with prostitutes playing out diaper fantasies (and he got to stay in office. WTF?). Take Newt Gingrich. The very man who was pointing the finger at Bill Clinton for the Monica Lewinsky spiel was the very same person who was having an affair with someone himself. Or recently Eliot Spitzer. I'm just giving high-profile people and not examples of regular people. It just seems the very people who can stop this (and by "stopping" I mean quit going to prostitutes) are the ones putting more flame to the fire.
BUT...
There was the issue of legalization in Las Vegas. Prostitutes get health screenings (I forget how often a month) but get tested for HIV/AIDS each month (I believe). One of the prostitutes, however, said she didn't get paid as much and she wanted out. She was a heroin user. A lot of them were except for maybe one or two of the women.