When I first came back to the UK, I was shocked at the difference between this market and the US.
First off, as selling sex is legal in the UK (street walking and running brothels isn’t) women were not screening they way they do in the US. When I asked a few Brits about this they said it’s because it’s legal. Ok I get that but what about safety??? I’d rather be arrested than killed. That was the point when I thought ‘hell no…I won’t be doing this over here. If I see anyone it will only be Americans”  

The prices were much lower - expected when the market is  not black. Outcall is generally harder to find than incall. Bait & switch is RIFE in agencies.  

I seriously thought about running a small agency that would cater for US gents only who wanted outcall - knowing I knew how to screen them and they’d be used to it. I had quite a few men asking me to but I never gave it much thought or focus (probably should have done!)  - infact, a gent asking me if I’d do it as he has such shit lick when he comes here is what prompted me to share this.

What other countries have people been to where the scene is different in a way that has shocked you (this is to both men and women). I’m curious to hear what experiences others have had…

C x

END OF MESSAGE

CamilleUk,  
  So, you are saying that you can sell yourself in a place like a Motel/Hotel or your own home, but you can't walk the streets or even run a brothel in brit.?

Your telling me the agencies that are in the UK like Babylon Movida etc don't screen.

As far as professions go, the barriers to entry into sex work are very low -- basically you just have to have a pulse.
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There are a lot of people with no discernible skills available to do sex work as an income source or income enhancement.  This glut is going to naturally drive prices down, with so many competitors.  But also drive hassles down, such as screening etc.  
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Social disapprobation and illegality do limit competition and drive up prices and conditions for suppliers -- which is why many suppliers actually benefit from both (though complain about them anyhow.)
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Now I happen to be libertarian about such things and support decriminalization.  But I also recognize that illegality creates and artificial market that favors in some ways (not all ways) those providers who venture into it.

No. That’s not what I said. I said they don’t screen in the way that the US do (meaning as carefully). References aren’t done / I had an assortment of Indy’s telling me how bemused they were that Indy’s in the US would do that…

No. You can advertise and do in all in a flat for example or go to an out all and you are working illegally BUT if you streetwalk (ie publicly and actively solicit) OR work in a flat with another girl (at which point it’s classed as a brothel) that’s illegal.

Ughhh do INCALL not do in all (won’t let me edit)

Jesus why can’t I edit posts?
The below is now edited to remove typos!

unless you tell the board HOW it's different like Camille did?   I think most people would assume that it is different SOMEHOW, but they may not know HOW it's different.  Care to enlighten us . . . . if you know.  

In Mexico, I can’t walk around without someone coming up to me every 15 minutes trying to bring me to a brothel, or at least a lady they know. In Jamaica, it’s somebody trying to sell me dope. At home, I am often told I look like a LEO.  

 
So….there’s that. LOL

I first started escorting years ago in Montreal, Canada. At the time the laws basically said that prostitution was legal but solicitation and/or running a “bawdy house” were not. So you technically could not offer incall or attempt to sell your services, but actually providing outcall services was okay. Later they changed the laws which made it legal to provide sexual services, but illegal to purchase same. It also became illegal to advertise or provide a platform/service for advertising said services, or to profit from the avails of prostitution.  Despite the laws incall and outcall were both popular and advertising did become difficult after the laws changed but the situation improved as sites were established offshore.  

 
Montreal was dominated by agencies.  They offered primarily younger girls, sometimes secretly underage (minimum age there is only 18), and these girls were plentiful and beautiful.  Rates were quite low and supply was high. “Spinners” were overwhelmingly popular and it was not uncommon for gentlemen to come to Montreal for “hobby vacations” where they would plan multiple sessions.  Screening was unheard of. If a client caused trouble he might get blacklisted from an agency, and many agencies might share bad client information, but really new clients could be completely unknown.  

 
As in independent, the scene was way different than the US. Clients used to doing business with agencies expected to call or text on demand for immediate appointments. They assumed you were sitting around your incall just waiting for them!  They didn’t know anything about screening, didn’t have references, and would often get upset if you asked for any information at all.  You would get requests to go to private residences or short-stay motels from complete strangers.  I had a number of close calls and sticky situations in addition to a couple pranks played on me back then.  

 
There was a local review forum that allowed advertising and it was always nice when clients reached out there as you had some sense of their personality and reputation.  

 
Eventually I started seeing more American clients, got some reviews on TER, raised my rates and started touring in the US. I learned about screening, detecting bad clients, and how to take measures to stay safe.  

It’s been many years since I’ve been in Canada so I don’t know if it’s still the same there, but I don’t imagine it has changed drastically.  I did notice that independents were becoming more popular over the years though, so the dynamics may have shifted somewhat.

Wow! That’s a lot of legal changes and super confusing too.

I remember Montreal agencies being  super popular when I first started out. I agree that their providers were absolutely stunning - proper model material. I’d forgotten how popular they were….

The difference in screening from country to country is amazing really. I think cutting my teeth in the US as it were, has made me value screening (for safety) so much more than I might have done starting in a country that doesn’t really do it. Then again would I have known better?  

Thanks for replying - really interesting insight

C x

If you are in the UK then London is really the place to go.  Asian Escorts tend to be the best value as long as you use a reputable Agency who has real photos.

So are Kyrgyzstan and Djibouti. They are very different. Thank you so much for enlightening us with your wisdom and knowledge.

Despite being geographically distant and culturally distinct, Kyrgyzstan and Djibouti share some similarities:

Landlocked Nature: Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, while Djibouti, though not landlocked, is located in the Horn of Africa and doesn't have extensive coastline access.

Ethnic Diversity: Both countries have diverse ethnic populations. Kyrgyzstan is home to various ethnic groups including Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Russians, and others. Djibouti similarly has a diverse population with Somali, Afar, Arab, and other ethnic groups.

Nomadic Traditions: Historically, both Kyrgyzstan and Djibouti have nomadic traditions, although these have diminished over time due to modernization and changes in lifestyle.

Soviet Influence: Kyrgyzstan was part of the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991 and still bears traces of Soviet influence in its culture, infrastructure, and governance. Djibouti, although not a part of the Soviet Union, was influenced by Soviet policies during the Cold War era.

Islamic Influence: Both countries have significant Islamic populations and Islamic cultural influences in their societies.

Mountains and Plateaus: Kyrgyzstan is characterized by its mountainous terrain, while Djibouti has a rugged landscape with plateaus and mountains, particularly in the northern parts of the country.

Strategic Importance: Djibouti's location at the mouth of the Red Sea makes it strategically important for international trade and military operations. Similarly, Kyrgyzstan's location in Central Asia gives it strategic significance in terms of regional geopolitics.

Challenges with Water Resources: Both countries face challenges related to water scarcity and access to clean water, although the specific issues and contexts differ.

Economic Dependency: Both Kyrgyzstan and Djibouti rely on external aid and trade to sustain their economies, albeit to varying degrees and from different sources.

Presence of International Military Bases: Djibouti hosts several foreign military bases due to its strategic location, while Kyrgyzstan has hosted military bases in the past, including a former Russian military base and an American airbase.

These similarities provide some common ground for understanding the challenges and opportunities faced by both nations despite their differences in geography and culture.

With twice--TWICE--as many posts as QB.  

Clearly all he does is sit around all day looking for an opportunity to shit on someone. Interesting hobby.

to find a post where you could attack me???  Looks like I live in your head rent-free.  Now that I own you, how about getting me a cup of coffee?  You were meant to be a lackey, you might as well be mine.  Lol

There may be a low barrier to entry, but not everyone can succeed in sex work, that is for sure. The ladies that make the real money are entrepreneurs in the truest of senses! They need to be focused with the ability to pivot continuously, since we get crap thrown at us from different angles all the time.

The big issues in the UK at the moment are:
- banking discrimination
- online safety act (which may ban our websites and advertising, and has been passed but is still ironing out details)
- a rabid bunch in parliament who want to bring the 'nordic model' into law to criminalise sex buyers.

Again though, we pivot.

The “Nordic model” is what was implemented in Canada and honestly despite concerns in our community it ultimately had little effect after a small downturn.  

The biggest initial issue was the advertising issue, where the online promotion of sex work became a criminal offense to those hosting content as well as design and web site owners, etc. I am not sure if that is actually part of the model but it hit hardest, primarily because Backpage shut down their Canadian site.  

 
Our local review and forum board simply moved to offshore servers so we were ok there. There were definitely scared clients. What if the girl didn’t like him?  Should he tip?  Could he still write an honest review?  The provider now had all the power as she could turn him in. Gents were scared to give information and there was an increase in spoofed numbers and fake names being used. But the providers had no intention of retaliating against clients as it was a huge risk to their business and reputation in a city where it was already tough enough to succeed as many believed that agencies were more trustworthy than indies.  

 
Eventually most realized nothing had changed really. It was a big political stunt more than anything else.  
I recall when the changes were being proposed, it drew a lot of media attention. A local tv reporter reached out and I agreed to an interview under the conditions that my physical appearance and voice would be disguised in order to protect my privacy and security.  We enjoyed a very engaging discussion where we discussed points such as the legitimacy of the choice to be an independent escort, to respect a woman’s choice to engage in sex work. I explained how there were big differences between survival sex workers, those who may be trafficked or coerced, and those who make their own choices to engage in sex work in various capacities. We talked about how restricting women’s ability to using the internet for advertising would actually decrease their safety.  The reporter loved the interview and couldn’t wait to get it ready and aired, which was supposed to be within 2 days.  

The interview never aired. It didn’t fit the narrative. Society was not willing to hear that an educated woman, well respected and active in her career, could actually choose to also work as an escort. That she actually enjoyed the experience.  

 
The laws finally passed, but there was more media hype than actual true impact for most  of us. They may have gone after some internet sites and the city raided a massage parlor located in a residential neighborhood where they received frequent complaints from residents but that was about it. Business resumed and all was pretty much restored to the way it had been.

Hello fellow Libertarian!!  
I also actively support decriminalization, but I also realistically know that if that were to occur in the US there would be an influx of gals that enter the market much younger and better looking than me and that would either put me out of business or I would have to reduce my rates greatly. My incall rates are low (I hate driving and would much rather you visit me at my incall!!) and my tour rates would be considered the lower end of mid, but I am also going to be 44 next month. So yes, I know that decriminalization is best for the industry as a whole, but there is a little selfish bit of me that knows the illegality of my business does help me in ways.  
Whatever happens we will find a way to continue on. SESTA/FOSTA was a giant shit show, but we did figure out as an industry what to do to continue on, which will always be the case with sex work.