I think there’s a common assumption — at least it was an assumption I had made — that women in the sex-work industry are there by choice or because they like it. Maybe that’s true for some women, but I can’t imagine enduring the whole thing unless I really had run out of options. Yes, it got me through a rough patch…. I’m sure I’m not the only young woman on Craigslist dazzled by the false promises of the adult-services gigs.
When I heard Craigslist had shut down its erotic service ads, I’ll be honest: I was relieved. It won’t stop Internet ads offering sex for money — a simple Google search proves that… But I know it would prevent someone like me from going down this path. The Craigslist ads were just right there in front of my face each day; one simple click took me from legitimate job ads into the escort work.
