It finally happened: I officially lost a client to the Swedish model*. Was he arrested? no. He was scared away.
Kind, thoughtful, supportive, generous; all the things we want in our clients he was and now, due to the continued harassment of clients across the Seattle area, I will not see him again for a very long time, if ever.
I, the sex worker equivalent of a rich white guy, will be fine. I could lose half my clients and still be ok, though I’d have to cut some corners. I could lose all my clients and fall back on one of several skills, though that possibility is extremely uncomfortable. I have several fallback plans but what if I didn’t? What If I were a woman of color and found it that much harder to find other employment? What if I were of uncertain legal status and thus were banned from most legitimate work? What if I had children or other dependents? What if I were less educated or LGBTQ or Older or mentally unstable or less conventionally attractive or chronically ill or under the influence of a substance or abusive person? Would losing this client really help me improve any of those things?
I hope you’re happy, men and women fighting to ‘save exploited children’, because your Swedish model of criminalization enforcement has driven away a valuable source of income for this consenting adult. This educated, independent, voluntary sex worker is now just a little bit more vulnerable, just a little more concerned, just a little closer to danger. Thanks a lot.
*By this I mean the push to enforce current laws only against clients, not against providers. While both ends of the exchange are currently illegal, the degree to which LE chooses to prosecute and persecute clients is much higher than providers. It’s a scare tactic and it’s working.