Forum: Author Hangout

Even where prostitution is illegal, there is a key legal difference between whether it is the seller or the buyer who is breaking the law. There are good arguments on both sides, although I tend to think that the latter system makes more sense. The theory is that it is not the government's job to tell people that they can't have sex, which is what happens when it is the seller who is fined or jailed.

I am rather more Cynical.

I believe that Government targets those they believe they are most likely to be able to get Money from! For the most part they avoid actually putting any of these particular "offenders" in prison, and try to set fines at a level that are "balanced" between maximum cash and the likelihood that someone can't, or won't pay and would be jailed (which costs government money).

There is plenty of research and documentation that many streetwalkers, in particular those who are pimped, don't have much cash on them. If fined they often go out and turn more tricks to get the money they need to pay the fine (or pay back their pimp who fronted them the money.

"Aspiring Governors" aka AG's (such as Eliot Spitzer) will prosecute personally, or order prosecuted certain "High Level" (infamous) "Madams" or "sex ring organizers" such as Jeffery Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, Heidi Fliess, or Ashley Dupre. (Whom some of those AG's may have utilized the services of in the past.) It seems to me that most arrests and prosecutions of prostitutes, "madams" and customers of "sex workers" are done for the publicity. Pimps, in particular the vicious ones, are not punished nearly enough; too often they get away with their crimes unless they are particularly stupid (which is the case with nearly all who are caught).

{There are some "Madams" and male or female managers of sex workers who don not exploit the sex providers. Or at least make some effort to see to their safety, and that they get a "reasonable" share of the money. Even in places, such as Nevada, the Netherlands, or Germany, where some forms of prostitution are legal; there is a dearth of information about the better "providers" and/or "managers" such as "Annie Sprinkle" "Margo St. James" or "Xaviera Hollander"}

They're not going to bother with the deal a block down who has a sophisticated operation and spotters looking for cops or who sells to white people in the suburbs by a clean cut white woman meet buyers at their yoga class or something.

- Places where the dealer and buyer both can afford lawyers and are taking steps to be discreet.

the police won't intervene. Because those guys (and gals) have organized resources and it won't get anybody a promotion losing that case...

Back in the late 80's and through the 1990's I met some interesting people. I was introduced to an officer who owned and operated a Private Security Company, catering to wealthy clients (his family was extremely wealthy, and he developed contacts). Most of his security personnel were NCOs on active duty, a few were NG or Reserves, or retired (from the military so in their late 30's early 40's). Those of us on active duty worked evenings, or weekends that we weren't in the field (or deployed).

Clients included some famous celebrities (and lesser ones too); but mostly wealthy men who wanted discrete armed security. In my opinion most of these people were wasting their money, as they didn't have a need for armed security (but I never turned down my share of the money).

Celebrities hired us for additional backstage security, or at their suite or other temporary residence or "private events" (parties). It wasn't common, it wasn't rare that young (legal age) women (rarely young men) would be escorted in (because they were not on the access list nor did they usually have a laminate) {precluding a paper trail}.

Private events for wealthy patrons. Some were invitation only events, and spouses/S.O.s would attend. Some events had much younger women (rarely men, but then maybe I didn't always notice who was attendee and who was "entertainment") attending with mostly middle-age or older wealthy men. We had plausible deniability of any shenanigans such as "compensated" sexual services or drugs, etc. Not to say this definitely occurred at every event we worked. But we were hired to be observant. ...and to ignore matters that did not concern us. Fortunately, no activities, such as an assault, or unwanted attention required our intervention. Discrete activities, especially if we did not witness them weren't our concern. Screams from behind a closed door would result in our intervention.

Records of payments were kept, and we were told, in writing, on our signed contracts that our wages were reported to the IRS. It was "recommended" we declare any cash bonuses. (The IRS is more likely to "trip up" profitable illicit activities than any law enforcement agency.) In addition to the host(s), guests, caterers, and other service providers were entertainers (and sometimes individuals who I believe were their "managers") and people I suspect distributed "recreational pharmaceuticals" ("free lancers" weren't allowed).

I was also a professional driver, and if sometimes I did not drive the principal, but was directed to go pick up a young lady and deliver her to the principal's location. ...not necessarily their residence, but perhaps a hotel room or suite, or business office (after hours). Then told to go "get a cup of coffee" or fill the gas tank... for an hour or two... Well, I was paid by the hour. Nice supplement to my military pay. Taxes were something I attended to, through a recommended CPA; though my deductions and expenses rarely were more than the generic deduction; we got a good rate from that CPA (some tax services give discounts to military personnel too). Using professionals for taxes, security, etc. is another way that people in illicit activities avoid legal entanglements.

During this time I was referred to an attractive and somewhat sophisticated young lady in her mid 30's (older than me at the time). Initially to move some furniture; there was some pre-existing minor drywall damage I was additionally hired to repair. It turns out she owned several rental houses, and she hired me to do occasional "handyman" work. Late one evening when the weather was nasty, she called me, not for a job, but because her battery was dead, and her "boyfriend"" was not answering his phone. (In casual conversations she learned I habitually keep tools, water, a "Go Bag" first aid kit, and among other things, jumper cables in all my vehicles). It took me a while to drive up from the vicinity of the base to the mall parking lot where she was. I had just got her car jump started when her "boyfriend" showed up. He was startled (seemingly almost alarmed) at my presence. Apologetic to her that he had missed her calls. He looked like a grown-up Yurkle (that goofy smart kid from the 90's sitcom) {turns out he was in commercial banking}. I'm not a lot bigger than average, but I was very fit, and wearing my camo Gor-Tex rain parka; I was hulking compared to him in his "banker's suit" (in her heels she was taller than him).

As she was introducing me he blurted, "So, are you a client?" (or something like that.)

I knew that her rental properties were just a "side gig" and for some reason I thought she, or both of them were into Amway or some other "Multi-level Marketing" business (I hadn't yet told he was in commercial baking) they just seemed the "type" (if you've met mid to upper-level Amway {etc.} entrepreneurs).

Turns out she was an "Escort" (and former burlesque dancer and stripper). She explained that he was her "Manager"; then quickly explained he was not a pimp! He mostly managed her money, and organized her calendar, occasionally providing potential contacts.

She stated, "If it wasn't for him, I'd own nothing but Shoes! I wouldn't have invested in those rental houses."

Because it is the younger girls who generally make the most money in clubs, she had transitioned into escorting. She had enough investments to quit, but she enjoyed being with (most of) her clients. He (they?) had some other younger girls/women whom he was also managing. In addition to handyman services, I was also hired to drive some of these women to appointments. This was something I was already doing for some other young women.

By the 1990's there was a lot less street prostitution near US military bases than there had been a decade or two before. There were still a lot of strip clubs. Strippers and dumb GI's are more than a cliche. Through friends I met a young woman, a single mom, who had been a stripper in California; she had moved up to Washington because she was dating a Dude in "Second Bat" (2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment). She had only worked as stripper in Washington state. She quit dancing in the clubs because she hated the laws, and the culture in "all" (most) of the clubs. She had licenses to dance (strip) in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and B.C. Canada. She hired me to drive her. Two or three weekends a month she and several other young women would contract to dance in a club, often in Oregon. I, and usually several friends who were also soldiers (or former soldiers) would drive several vehicles to wherever. Typically four of us guys, and 4-6 girls. They would pay for our gas, time, rooms, and meals. We would "hang out" in the back of the club or bar, play pool, have a few beers (usually discounted, and free non-alcoholic drinks; for being available to back--up the bouncer(s) if needed). Mostly our presence discouraged excessive shenanigans. The girls would give us a few hugs at the start of the evening. If anyone asked we were not boyfriends, just "friends" if any guy wanted to try for a "Date" (paid or not) it wasn't our business. The young women were disappointed when we weren't available because we were in the field doing "Army things" or deployed.

As far as I know, everything I did was legal. I paid my taxes, I had a license to carry a concealed weapon, and to be an "armed merchant security officer" although when driving young women to appointments I carried a cellphone, but rarely a firearm. I made clear to the ladies, I would talk, and try to deescalate a situation, and "get them out of there" if possible. If it got violent I would call 9-1-1. I would only use deadly force in response to deadly force. Rarely was there ever a need for me to engage with a client. Most often they never saw me. A few times I had to speak to a persistent client who wanted something the young lady was unwilling to provide.

In conversations about "theoretical" matters I learned quite a bit.

The "primary players" I met used their taxed earnings to establish other (more conventional) businesses that they moved onto later in life. Avoiding drugs, other than marijuana and alcohol (and perhaps some "Xstacy"), dressing discretely, or at least stylishly, driving clean well maintained, and typically non-descript vehicles, and obeying traffic laws, resulted in no encounters with LEO (Law Enforcement Officers).

We did observe plenty of idiots "invite" entanglements with authorities; some didn't suffer consequences, but many did escalate a situation to a crime for which they were arrested. Most often idiots had to make an effort to get arrested! LEOs will often try to resolve a situation without having to make an arrest. Arrests take them off patrol for hours, and many LEOs would prefer to focus on "serious" crimes. Although some officers are "serious" about prostitution...

I had an incident where I was driving one of the young women who was a stripper (and I figured probably an escort too). We were pulled over by a police car, even though I had not committed an infraction. Normally you should not speak to LEOs other providing name, ID, proof of registration and insurance, etc. However, we were coming back from buying groceries; she for the girls, me for the guys. So, we agreed to offer our time stamped grocery receipts. The LEOs checked my license, etc.; then had us get out of the car. Separated, then began to question us. They didn't believe us, until we offered to show them the groceries and time stamped receipts. That boggled their minds!

One officer pulled me aside and asked, "Did I know she was a known prostitute?"

I replied, "She is just a friend of a friend, and had asked for a ride to get groceries."

They let us go.

I guess the "justification" was prostitution occurred in some of the cheap motels near where we were staying; and a young white woman in a car with a "Mixed Race" man...

As I recall they let us go before I mentioned wanting to contact my attorney. Asking for a lawyer might have ended it; but could also result in an escalation and take more time and result in an official report. We both provided the bare minimum of information and refused to be drawn into saying anything else. We were detained probably only fifteen minutes, but it seemed longer. Longer than we should have been. The LEOs seemed to believe we were engaged in some illicit activities, but the groceries really flummoxed them.

Isn't it more nefarious to prostitute your brain, as a wage slave, than to prostitute your body?

As I've seen the term "wage slave" used, it refers to hourly workers. Most people (at least in the US) who use their brain (as opposed to physical labor) as their primary means of earning income are salaried not hourly.