Why is there such a desire to publicize our hobby? Why does TER advertize the Showtime program and why do providers want to write books about the business?
I realize $$ is a big motivator for the other activities but for this business to thrive, it really needs to remain discreet. Why draw attention to something that is illegal in most areas? Why bait LE? Why draw the attention of the IRS which would love to collect taxes and penalties from all the ladies who may be "under-reporting" if they even "remember" to file a 1040.
Frankly, I think TER should require a membership fee just to read the Boards and a premium fee to read any part of the reviews. Those contributing to the reviews would get a discount/credit but by requring at least a minimum $ to participate, we can keep this more discreet.
In my opinion, the less publicity we receive, the safer it is and the more likely we will not be bothered.
Go ahead and flame me - I can take it!
It is like talking about AIDS (only gays get it, right?), safe sex (in junior high school?!!), divorce (a societal stigma), child abuse (couldn't happen in my neighborhood!)...blacks in the military (considered dangerous), womens right to vote (ibid)...the more society pushes the edge and airs these issues, the closer this hobby moves into become accepted, tolerated and ultimately legal.
TER's open forum was one of the key tools that educated me prior to 'jumping in' to the hobby. I have learned much about safety, concerns of the providers, how to avoid the providers who are likely to pose a threat to a hobbyest's health...many things that make TER practically a Public Service (lol!).
Posting reviews and discussion on the board has added just a tiny bit more public visibility to this hobby---LE knows we are here---gee, they aren't just our to bust us since many are clients too!
You make some good points DFM but I do't think the reason to publicize the hobby is to "bait" LE or bring IRS scrutiny down on the ladies. We all suffer from both moral and legal prejudice here. As with any oppressed fraction of society awareness and education are needed to release us from being a social pharia(sp?)
A perfect situation for the Hobby would be "Illegal but unprosecuted/harassed". This would keep the IRS from sticking its greedy nose into the business end of things and all the players would go unmolested by LE. As for universal social acceptance?, as long as SOs withhold sex from their partners the hobby will never be accepted.
I didn't mean that we were intentionally baiting LE and the IRS. I meant that by participating in TV, books, etc., we are inadvertantly putting this business on their radar screens.
As for the IRS, this is a business and they are responsible for collecting taxes whether or not we agree. Underground economy or not, it's better to be invisible to them than flaunting it in their faces.
Let's not bait them at all - either intentionally or inadvertently. Let's be discreet!
Two things which are a truisms and have nothing to do with
this "hobby" per se:
1. No matter what your business, you'd better file tax returns.
The penalties for not doing so can be much higher than for
those directly associated with the hobby.
2. Nobody likes paying for stuff on the internet. A common strategy is to provide free areas so a user can see what a
site is all about. Other "premium" content can be had for
a fee. Without seeing and using the free content, many of
the paid members would not have joined.
The more it becomes fodder for the media, the more it becomes a photo opportunity for LE.
On the flip side, there are other boards that are pay to play, and I haven't joined. Why? Because I'm too cheap to pay the entrance fee to see if it the real deal or just gets one post per day.
There has to be a happy medium.
Discreet - I'm with you 100%. Advertising via this Showtime thing is publicity we do NOT need. Frankly it makes me nervous, because if LE really wanted to easedrop on our Internet activities, they could. Shinning the spotlight on this site is just not cool.
I think STAFF should re-think this issue, and turn off the spotlight.
Anyone who knows how to click links on web pages or use Google, and it at all curious about this topic, already knows about TER. You found it, I found it, anyone can find it. People in LE are no exception.
It's not a secret. If it were a secret, no one would be here and the database would be empty.
The line between "baiting LE" and "civil disobedience" can get blurry. It shouldn't be illegal. Perhaps I'm naive, but I think that if the mainstream population knew more about it, then they might change their minds.
Of course I want discretion at the detail level (i.e. that a specific person (me) visited a specific person (my ATF)) but I would love it if every American knew that a thriving scene really exists, how it works, how nice some of the people are, how valuable the the service is. That sure beats the warped Hollywood stereotype of the dirty "crackwhore" and her slimey loser clients.
As for the IRS, I'm sorry the girls have that sword always hanging over their necks, but all I can say is .. WELCOME TO MY WORLD! Geez, we're ALL oppressed by the IRS, why should you chicks get a break? If you have to start filing 1040s then maybe next election you'll join me in voting against having such powerful central government. Or maybe you'll oppose me, but you'll put your money where your mouth is and pay your fair share. Such equity and fairness befits the hobby; the civilian dating scene, with all its shady subterfuge and manipulation games, is where it would be more in character for one occupation to be privileged while everyone else gets the shaft.
Not only for the girls, but for us as well. More and more,
I have noticed that the clients are being busted along
with the escorts, and these guys are subjected to ridiculous
treatment, like having their names put in the newspapers and
being forced to attend "John School" (whatever the hell that
may be).
This publicity just fuels the flames of all the people
out there who use their "holier than thou" attitude to
justify the harassment of escorts and clients by DAs and
cops. I agree the ideas you detail above and would like to see
them implemented.
Thanks.
I hear this argument often. “keep it discreet”. DiscreetForMe, you have only been here since april. Consider for the moment, how did you find us? How did the over 140,000 guys a day who visit TER find us?
Was it on one of the:
Over 1000 provider sites that link to us?
50 escort malls that run our banners?
22 weekly newspapers we run TER ads in?
10 national magazines we run full page color ads in?
Over 52,000 active links on the internet that point to reviews?
National or local radio personalities talking about us?
The articles in playboy or penthouse?
TER is one of the largest sites on the internet. Out of the millions sites (not just adult) there are only about 1300 that have more traffic than TER in the world. Here are a few that are smaller:
TER vs Penthouse.com
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?&range=2y&size=large&compare_sites=penthouse.com&url=theeroticreview.com#graph
TER vs Hustler.com
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?&range=2y&size=large&compare_sites=hustler.com&url=theeroticreview.com#graph
TER vs eros-guide.com
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?&range=2y&size=large&compare_sites=eros-guide.com&url=theeroticreview.com#graph
TER vs Cityvibe.com
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?&range=2y&size=large&compare_sites=cityvibe.com&url=theeroticreview.com#graph
I sorry DiscreetForMe, but we are not under the radar. We are a community and I for one am proud to be part of it.
I wonder how many of the 140,000 guys visiting every day must keep their participation discreet.
It might make an interesting survey question.
-- Modified on 11/20/2003 1:14:10 AM
I guess you just get used to a certian idea or theory in your head and after awhile you start to take it for fact. I was shocked to read that only 1300 sites have more traffic then this one.
You see how many hits the threads on the discussion boards get and after awhile you get into the notion that there can't be that many people snooping around here. Hell, even the poll questions seem to get on average between 7 and 10 thousand responces. Granted, that's alot more people then read thru the boards, but i really figured that number accounted for the vast magority of people who pass thru the site.
Just one more way to prove you can't believe all you see.
Didn't the movie "Pretty Woman" already shine a spot light on us? I only wish I had the extra $$$ to go for a few days in a row...
There is simply NO reason to be so paranoid. The back pages of almost any free-press newspaper, to say nothing of the 'escort' section of the yellow pages (which phone books in hotel rooms curiously seem to just open up to those pages) have already put the issue in our faces...the goal now is to get these occaisional round ups and raids to stop! Better yet, make friends with a cop and get him/her to give you a warning when these clean-up sweeps will occur...they gotta know too as they wouldn't want to arrest any John-cop buddies of theirs...
What effect has "The Godfather" and "The Sopranos" had on organized crime other than to romanticize it? I suppose the long-term ramifications of the Showtime series depends on how well the show is done and how the size of its ratings. But I agree: the less light shed this hobby of ours, the better for entire hobbying community, providers and clients alike. The more publicity, the bigger chance of law enforcement taking a keener interest in the hobby, if only to appease the sanctimonious indignation of sexual prudes who feel compelled to foist their narrow-minded view of morality upon the entire world.