I woke up this morning with a stinging headache. I had spent the evening watching ‘The Battle for Number Ten’, and maybe due to the surprise of Ed Miliband looking a top quality politician, I had sunk a bottle of red wine.
Well after turning on Sky News to see the reaction to last night’s ‘debate’, instead I was greeted with a really interesting piece regarding many students becoming sex workers, in order to pay for their tuition fees and other expenses.
A Booming Industry
It really was a fascinating piece. For years, Escort Ireland has been saying that people from from all walks of life have decide to become escorts. It is so far removed from the stereotypical ’15 Eastern Europeans in the back of a lorry’ industry that groups like Ruhama love to paint it as.
The piece focused on the the research from Swansea University that stated that 5% of students had worked in the sex industry. That is one in 20!
Even more surprising is that one in four have considered sex work.
More than half of these students who entered the industry, did so to pay for basic living expenses.
In a Liverpool Strip Club (though never stated, it was ‘Angels, which I know well) Sky News caught up with Isobel, who said she decided to work as a stripper when she realised how much cash she could make.
Due to her being on a very competitive course, she felt that the time would be better spent studying, so she went for the job with most cash, and least hours.
“What I earn in a week is what I’d earn in a month in the bar job, so it just kind of made sense to me to work here rather than do that.” she said.
“I think it’s a no-brainer for anyone really. Rather than doing all those hours I do less than half the amount of time for a lot more money – three times as much money. It’s crazy.”
It doesn’t stop at stripping. Many girls are advertising their services on escort websites like ours.
One students, who didn’t want to be be named explained her rationale to Sky.
“I think it is still very much stigmatised and that can make life very difficult for student sex workers,” she said.
“It isn’t something for everybody, and that’s totally fine, but it was the best choice of the choices that I had available to me.”
“Obviously I think there should be a better funded education system – I think there should be grants for students.
“But at the minute while we don’t have any of that support or money in place this is the best option.”
Numerous Reasons
There will of course be many reason why sex work is becoming popular with students. The extortionate tuition fees will be one reason, as will be the savage cuts on the Welfare state. Also the fact that there are so many jobs today with zero hour contracts. Why should a student be unable to eat just because a company doesn’t need them to work that week? Surely it is better for the student to sex work, where the money can be good, and there will always be some sort of demand?
People who are anti sex work need to see news pieces like this. There ill thought out views on the demographics that make up the industry would actually be amusing, if they weren’t so damaging to the safety of sex workers everywhere.
I was certainly surprised that SKY News took such a balanced approach in their reporting. For that, they need to be applauded. It is about time a proper debate on sex work and its role in society took place.
In the end, it should be up to the individual what they do with their body. As long as no-one else is being harmed, it should really be open season.
In the end, that is what real freedom is all about.
Since then, he has specialised in articles on the battle for equal rights for sex workers, sexual health, as well as bringing the readers fun news from around the world. He also has a major interest in LGBT rights, and is an active campaigner in this field.
When he isn't fighting the good fight, he enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, and young daughter. He also enjoys reading and taking long walks.
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- Get Ready to Celebrate: It’s World Oral Sex Day! - September 6, 2023
- International BDSM Day: A Day of Deviance and Delight! - July 24, 2023
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