Would you have Sex for Money?
As many of you have already read, former High-priced Call Girl, Belle de Jour, who’s also a successful Blogger (her blog inspired Showtime’s hit “Secret Diary of a Call Girl”) and writes the popular “Diary of a London Call Girl” book series has revealed herself……to be a Doctor.
Dr. Brooke Magnanti, specifically. Research Scientist at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health (in between writing about her days as a Call Girl, she uses her Ph.D. in Informatics, Epidemiology, and Forensic Science to research effects of pesticides on children).
When asked why she became a prostitute (albeit an expensive one), Dr. Magnati issued the following statement:
“I couldn’t find a professional job in my chosen field because I didn’t have my Ph.D. yet. I didn’t have a lot of spare time on my hands because I was still making corrections and preparing for the viva; and I got through my savings a lot faster than I thought I would. … What can I do that I can start doing straightaway, that doesn’t require a great deal of training or investment to get started, that’s cash in hand and that leaves me spare time to do my work in?”
My question is ……Would you work as a High Priced Call Girl/Male Escort?
Personally, as long as you could be extremely (EX-TREME-LY) selective with who your clients are, I don’t really see an issue with someone being a paid Escort. (I’m not so sure my boyfriend would be the biggest fan of this possible career path….) As long as nobody’s getting hurt (emotionally or physically), and personal relationships aren’t being damaged by venturing out into the Escort Industry, I believe it’s an individual’s choice what to do with their own bodies.
I asked if you’d work as an expensive Escort…Does your answer change if you need the money?
My understanding is the highest price Call Girls make approximately $10,000 – 12,000 a night, and don’t always have intercourse with their Clients. Okay, there’s usually sex, but not always. My point is, I’m pretty sure $10,000 a night can help pay off someone’s Student Loans a lot faster than a $12.00 an hour Temp job.
BTW, I should also mention working as an escort is not illegal in the United Kingdom, which is where Dr. Magnati worked. Only the more dangerous portions of prostitution (streetwalking, pimps, brothels) are illegal.
Footnote: In case you’re now considering a Career Change, I should probably also mention the $10 – 12k per day range is the tippity-top of the prostitution game. Not that you can’t get to that level, just saying it’s a small percentage of Escorts who make that much…..Just wanted to throw that out there, as I’m fairly certain that sort of detail isn’t listed on Salary.com.
I’m not sure I could be an Escort — I think I’d be too scared something would go wrong and the guy would want something horrible.
Although, I did see on Dateline that the more women charge as an escort the better they were treated, which makes sense. I guess charging $50 is going to attract a completely different client than charging $5,000.
I definitely understand why people become escorts. And let’s be honest – is there anything different than men and women who marry ONLY for money and a prostitute? At least being a whore is more honest.
Jackie – I saw that same Dateline episode on my flight back from Florida and thought it was really interesting.
And you’re right, I’m sure there is a big difference when someone has to pay 100x the amount, plus I’m sure their going to get different “services”, like going to dinner and parties, and not just messing around in an alley somewhere!
Christopher – Interesting take on prostitution….I’ve actually heard men say marrying for money is really the same thing but worse, so you’re certainly not alone in thinking this way.
I have to say, if I had to choose between spending 40 years with someone I didn’t love (and possibly didn’t really even like) and being an expensive Escort once a month, I’d absolutely choose being an Escort. I think marrying only for money is a rough way to make a living.
I like your last note about Salary.com. How funny.
I’ve actually entertained the idea when I was single and in desperate need of cash, but the honest truth was I had no idea how to get into the game – who do you talk to when you’re an average lower middle class girl who’s never ventured into that lifestyle?
I went so far as talking to the manager of a strip club once. Another girl was dancing while I was in there, and she looked so ordinary, which made me think I could do it. What saved me from going down that road was a lack of a costume – I didn’t own a thong of swimsuit/costume material, and couldn’t afford to buy one, so I never went back to talk to him about it again. That lack probably saved my life. Who knows how I would’ve ended up if I’d gone back?
I know that’s not escort service, but I think the two are definitely linked, and I’m sure one leads to the other a lot of times. And, though I was very nervous about it, I would have gone through with it (the dancing or being a prostitute, if I’d been able to find someone to contact about it). Not having money can make you desperate. And, I looked in that direction because of the same reasons the doctor in your post did – it’s immediate, you don’t have to have experience, and it’s cash. Scary, but there you go.
um, no, I could just never do it. never ever ever. the oldest profession in the world just isn’t for me. i just have such a negative view on it mainly because most who go into it come from long histories of sexual abuse, and there are so many KIDS who get into it or are SOLD into it, it’s just very sad. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, but they are rare rare rare, and as you say, most are not going to make much money, it would come down to drugs, nasty johns, abusive pimps, and a sad destructive existence….
but a very very thought provoking and interesting piece FOR SURE.
I can understand how that is SO MUCH MONEY even if it was 1000 a night that would be bokoo bucks…but seriously, I could never do it. I could never be ok with it. Very interesting subject! I just watched the documentary, “very young girls” about young girls who get caught in prostituation and it was so sad. I know esscort service is much different, but I can’t help but think it would leave a negative impact on your life. thats just me.
Cristy – Thank you for being so honest! I think more people have considered this path than we may ever know, but are unwilling to admit it.
Cameron – What a fabulous point. Although I think (think) there’s probably a difference between women who do this for a living at $12,000 a day and the girls on the street making $50 a ‘client’, I’ve also read a lot about women – and young girls – forced into the industry, and it’s beyond horrible.
I found out an acquaintance went to Thailand two decades ago and had sex with three prostitutes while he was there….knowing what I know about the horrific sex trade in that country — and the fact almost all of those women are there against their will — literally made my skin crawl.
Natalie – I’d be curious to see what the long-term effects are on someone who was in that industry, whether positive or negative….
When I was in college, I considered stripping – what ballet student probably doesn’t, right? – but I didn’t go through with it. I have nothing against men or women who do that job, but taking my clothes off for strangers just weirded me out a little too much.
Would I ever have sex for money? Definitely not. Though the idea is tempting, I know I’d feel guilty for the rest of my life, thus rendering any monetary gain irrelevant.
Things like this convince me that I will NEVER pay off my student loans. Sigh.
with my husband? absolutely. he doesn’t get any if he doesn’t pay me.
don’t judge.
he has morphed into jabba the hut
Kel – LOL regarding your student loan comment! I’m sure you’ll pay them off and keep your clothes on at the same time
Speaking from the Crib – I think that makes absolute sense.
While I do see many similarities of escorting to modern relationships, I think I could never pull it off. I dont think my conscience could handle it but I do not judge or fault anyone who does.
I think a lot of people’s morals are for $ale. I think we tend to judge people’s price tags more than we care to admit. If you would sleep with an ugly dude for a million dollars but wouldn’t do it for fifty aren’t we just trying to figure out what price you are willing to sell out for? I think people who pay for sex are either too lazy or too picky. Being a man sometimes you think that you have to pay for sex in the amount of stress you put up with. Ladies generally control that part of the relationship, and you have to shut up and keep it under control if you want some…. OH and pay for dinner.
Nope, couldn’t do it, no matter how desperate I was. Just could not go there.
Great post, thanks. Been attempting to lose weight with the Cambridge diet these past couple of months and it’s going amazingly well. I will try and update to let you guys know how it’s going, so far I’ve lost 25 pounds in 4 months!