NEWS > BUSINESS > DATA SHOWS PROSTITUTE LAYOFFS STARTING TO EASE

DATA SHOWS PROSTITUTE LAYOFFS STARTING TO EASE

July 28 2009

Washington, DC – Outside bankruptcy lawyers there have been virtually no professions that haven’t been affected in some way by the global economic downturn. As the full-blown recession approaches its first year the economy is starting to show
signs of rebounding with housing prices starting to rise once again and employers hiring again. That rebound has put a lot of minds at ease with many now finding new work and others starting to feel more secure in the positions they already have.

One sector that is starting to firm up is a profession that few believed would have been affected by the downturn. With jobs beginning to return and more and more people having cash to spend on non-essential items, the prostitution industry is beginning to see significant growth that may lead to a reduction in the number of layoffs that have so plagued the industry. With employment rates at an all time low the casual sex industry has seen an erosion of talent unlike any other time in its history. Now though new data suggests that the field may have turned a corner, giving hope to thousands who had been forced to abandon their chosen profession.

“We are seeing almost daily increases in traffic and consequently in dollar revenue as
well. While we aren’t at the point where we can declare that we are safe we are definitely moving in that direction. We won’t give a timetable as to when we will start seeing laid off workers going back to work but we are definitely moving in the right direction,” said Ben Kent of ASAC, the union representing prostitutes. “I think it will be a very short time until we will be able to start talking with Pimps and put more bodies on staff. As the traffic increases so too will the pricing structure and that will give employers a lot more flexibility.”

The union offered no firm data on how many U.S. prostitutes have been laid off since the start of the recession. It is believed that many are continuing on staff with reduced hours and lower rates leaving many to seek secondary employment.

“Prostitution has often been called the oldest profession in the world and true or not that reputation has not made it immune from basic economics. The harsh reality is sex is an indulgence not a necessity for survival. That has forced a lot of people to put aside their spare money for things like bread and water and consequently things like illicit sex become a secondary concern. That has had a very detrimental effect on the industry as a whole,” said Scrape TV Business analyst Ken Green. “This is the first good news many workers have had in a long time and it gives hope that hopefully sooner than later the industry will make a total turnaround and put prostitutes back to work. That of course is the hope in just about every field but a particular concern in prostitution due to the unique requirements of the job. They want to make sure that workers return.”

It’s believed that many laid-off workers will likely return once the opportunity presents itself due in large part to the major dollar disparity between prostitution and other fields such as retail and service.

“Through every recession and depression the real sign that things are starting to turn around is the rebuilding of the leisure industries. Many economists look at fields such as this to help assess where the economy is at and where it is going in the near future. This growth, should it continued, will likely give a lot of hope for a full economic rebound,” continued Green. “The real fear for many employers is that staff will be unwilling to come back. Yes the dollars are there but the psychological and emotional strain of the field often keeps people away once they have left. Luckily there are always new people waiting in the wings but most prefer experience over youth.”

It is believed that healthcare plans for prostitutes have fallen by the wayside and may not return to the bargaining table anytime soon.   

William Ashford, Business Correspondent

NEWS > BUSINESS > DATA SHOWS PROSTITUTE LAYOFFS STARTING TO EASE