Dear Love Goddess,

As the NY Gov scandal has brought the hobby into the national spotlight, it has raised a question that I've often wondered.  Has any study, within say the last 3-4 years, been done to calculate what percentage of the US female population are or were "providers?"

I've met women from all sorts of racial, ethnic, religious, age, and physical groups.  And I've noticed that the hobby world today is nothing like I thought when I first started.  When you get past streetwalkers, who the media always focus on to describe our hobby, today's provider seems to come from all sorts of backgrounds.  Is this made easier because of the internet?  The idea to provide as you want, when you want, to who you want, without being dependent on anyone but yourself.  

As our society seems to celebrate a younger generation dazzled by money and materialism, are more and more women entering the escort ranks, even for a short time, by the thrill of the good life?  I've met many ladies whom once I got to know them, I never thought they'd be the type to provide.  It's gotten to the point that whenever I see a pretty woman under the age of 40, I begin to wonder if she has ever provided.(lol)  

I get the feeling that any study that might exist will not be specific.  I'm interested in TER or VIP-type providers, not streetwalkers or even strippers.  But any info you could provide would be great.  

Thank you

potential spouses based on their earning capacity.

If you include them, well.....

Dear ilovealmostallwomen,
No, there are no such reliable statistics - for obvious reasons. People do not want to go out there and admit that they are doing something illegal for a living, it's as simple as that. There are studies on HIV in streetwalkers in particular areas or countries, but what you are asking for does not exist. As to ex-providers: most of them just want to bury their past; they would hardly participate in studies admitting to anything. In addition, I don't see how you could get funding for anything like it.

The only thing you get granted or funded for are studies that impact public health, i.e. STDs. There are zillions of studies on street prostitution and condom use, but that would hardly help us figure out how many Spitzer-type ladies there are out there. I mean, officially, that girl was an aspiring pop singer....

Do your own research, much more fun
the Love Goddess

I recently read "The Inner Circle," by the prize-winning Brit novelist T. C. Boyle, based on Kinsey and his researchers.  It's a novel, but much of it reflects how Kinsey's Institute carried out its research, the problems that his inner circle had, and is based on fact.  In the novel, the researchers interviewed providers and even staged one demonstration where they could observe the stages of erotic response.  (BTW, fellow threadsters, it's interesting but not salacious -- it's a serious novel.)  So I'm thinking if Kinsey did it, there must be some data, not on the number of people who might have been providers, but on the sexual behavior of women, who in their interviews revealed the extent of their sexual experiences, presumably including providing.  Have Kinsey's landmark studies been updated?

I understand a normal curiosity about this sort of thing...well, actually I don't but I'm just humoring you. What I don't understand is your comment about the "type" of woman that would become an escort.

A woman is who she is, not what she does for a living. Most of the ladies I see have college degrees that they paid for at least partially through escorting or other work in the sex industry. They have decided that the money and the freedom that the job offers works for them. Is this the "type" that you have in mind? Yes, women from a variety of backgrounds get into the profession for a variety of different reasons but is any of that really important in determining if we can enjoy spending a few hours with them? Ultimately I don't think it is.

I was referring to this quote from the OP.

"I've met many ladies whom once I got to know them, I never thought they'd be the type to provide."

Sorry for the confusion..
bg

No offense intended to any woman.  I grew up in small town america.  And living a sheltered life, I was under the impression, like mainstream media of late, that women who provided were "wild childs," drug users, alcholics, etc.  

To my relief and enjoyment, all of the ladies I've met, almost all TER reviewed, have been nothing of the sort.

Of course, you'd never think that a Sunday school teaching housemom Mormon would ever do this right?  Wrong.  I know one (well, former should be added to the description above, but still.)

The point is, there are all types of reasons why a women chooses to be a sex worker.

Obviously the money is a big inducement, but there is a range from the highly suggestible, low self-esteem to the deterinined and driven women who sees this as a wonderful manifestation of her power as a woman.  Then there's everything in between and all colors and shades of nuance.

In short, women are complicated and the reasons to become a provider are just as complicated.

On the other hand, if you ask why men see providers, I assure you that the answer is very simple:  It's because we can.

In my limited experience, Ive been to everything from 7 bedroom houses in upscale neighborhoods, to condo's, and efficiency apartments,  to meet single coeds, secretaries, working mom's, divorcees and desparate housewives.  Its a dynamic community thats for sure.

I would never work off the streets and of course internet has made this a lot easier.  We can easily put ourselves out there, and we can screen clients.  I wouldn't do it any other way.  I'm sure the internet has broadened and popularized the business, and it's probably why you see the people you wouldn't consider to be the "type".  And that goes for both providers and clients.

I think curiosity about this business is completely normal and understandable!  I've been working in it a couple months now, and I am still fascinated by every aspect of the work, and all the different experiences of my fellow working girls.

Sounds like you have that covered! Good luck and stay safe...

Hello Barnaby08,
Kinsey's studies have not been replicated, hence not updated. Yes, Kinsey did interview providers, but since he did not use probability sampling, his data is very skewed in terms of representative samples and he addresses that in his books. Probability sampling was in its infancy during the 40s-early50s, so he did what he felt was right.

When Kinsey studied the human female, he included specific sexual behaviors for statistical purposes. There are no qualitative responses in the reports, only stats. And provider responses were mixed in with everyone else's.

Reading Kinsey is like reading the Bible - many talk about it, few do it. I've read Kinsey back to back, both volumes, and it is indeed a massive undertaking. You can read this one: Kinsey, A.C, Pomeroy, W.B., Martin, C.E. & Gebhard, P.H. (1953). Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, pp. a-842, and tell us what you think later, LOL. As for me, I found it quite interesting. The data collection took place over 50 years ago, with women who had completely different lives and different sexual mores from today. As to the providers, they behave very much like the rest of the participants in the survey. They don't specifically talk about "providing" in the volume, so I don't think you'll find exactly what you want in there.

In 1994, Ed Laumann and his buddies at the University of Chicago did sort of a replication of Kinsey ("Sex in America" available in paperback), but of course their sample was roundly criticized for being too narrow and non-representative. I'm not a big fan of the study and I still prefer Kinsey's work (about 16,0000 is a lot of people to interview!)But yes, it's outdated in many ways - but only because WE have changed, not because the data was misrepresentational at the time.

Enjoy reading Kinsey,
the Love Goddess

there are a great deal of woman in this industry over 40 as well...by the way...
Some like myself, started after the 40th bday.

I was just going to say ALL of that!
Hobbyists are Just as differant as the Ladies they see. From all walks of life and all different levels of financial stability.  I have to agree I would never have put myself out there if it weren't for the internet to begin with. I would never have concidered an agency either. It's just not me really.