She could even work at home and get extra work on weekends and semester breaks. Now, with the help of a group called Prostitutes Anonymous, Cathy and other former prostitutes are digging up and putting to rest the past that haunts them. The group is part of a nationwide, nonprofit organization dedicated to the recovery of men and women addicted to the sex industry. Williams spent three months in jail, and her mother received a one-month sentence. The lack of support for the organization is a result of misconceptions about prostitution, Williams said.
Some people think they have problems with drugs. Over one-third of our members never touched drugs. Based on the 12 steps for recovery formulated by Alcoholics Anonymous, the organization seeks to be a refuge for former male and female prostitutes, pimps, madams, former pornography actors and others who have sex for money. The organization has groups in several states and continues to expand.
There is even a telephone hot line: To get the word out about the meetings, Suzanne, who worked on the streets of downtown San Diego for 13 years, ran classified ads in newspapers. Although she has received dozens of responses, attendance Wednesday nights has been small, with a maximum of five people. Suzanne attributes the low turnout to the newness of the group. The small group gathers at 6 p.
Like Alcoholics Anonymous, each woman begins speaking by telling her first name and admitting her addiction. During the sessions, the women talk about feelings of shame and anger, relationships, misconceptions about prostitution, achievements and offer advice to other group members. They are sucked in and feel it is their only means of support. This gives you a way to talk about it. When people are addicted to the sex industry, they crave attention, money and power, Williams said from her Reseda home, where she lives with her husband, also a former prostitute, and their 9-month-old daughter.
I could tell the john what was going to happen, how long it was going to take and how much it was going to cost. I loved it.
