THE SEXUAL FREEDOM COALITION

“I am an independent woman and make extreme pornography, in front and behind the camera. I find it interesting, and enjoy helping others reach the most far-out fantasies, shot in an intelligent and artistic way. I don't feel exploited or threatened, but feel powerful. I have never known anyone forced into this specialist area; it is 100% suitable for me and my colleagues. We do it because we love it.”

Mouse.

"From age 18 to 38 I made porn movies of all kinds. For their day, some of those films were considered extreme. A little SM, a little bondage, a rape fantasy, an incest fantasy... Now those old films seem rather tame compared to some films today. Even I am sometimes shocked at the extreme porn of today. But as long as no one really gets hurt and has to go to the hospital, or is forced against their will (like in REAL violence), I see no reason to limit people from acting out the kind of sex they want to act out. It can actually be liberating, and enjoyable and bring pleasure to others."

Annie Sprinkle Ph.D Porn star turned sexologist and artist

“I was in some of the most extreme videos and Internet images ever seen.
I wanted to show people how extreme I could be and hard I could really push the envelope. I guess that sounds almost militant or radical. Up until that point I had just fantasized about some of those things. Once the producer heard that I wanted to have my tits nailed to a board he just wanted to know I was serious. The experience was just as I had expected: the high I got from the extreme act was more than I could have ever imagined. At no time did I ever feel as if I couldn't handle anything that was being done to me.
There isn't anyone out there that could make me do something I didn't want to do. In some ways I think being in extreme porn makes me stronger. I know that I can try some of the most extreme things a human body can handle and that gives me power, a secure sense of confidence that most people don't have.”

Kathie

“Some years ago, I ran out of money in my final year at university. Faced with the choice of going "do you want fries with that?" for ten hours in a McJob or earning the same amount being sexual with someone for one hour.. well, of course offering your sexual skills for hire is not for everyone, but it was an easy choice for me.
I have never considered myself a victim and it irritates me greatly when other people claim that I am. If you can earn the same money in less time, you have more time for everything else in your life, including academic work.
I still do sex work, not because I 'need' to - and certainly not because anyone 'makes' me - but because I enjoy it. I advertise my intellect and understanding rather than the size of my genitals or muscles and, I'm delighted to say, there are people (male and female, disabled and not) who want that.
The vast majority of people I've met through sex work, clients and other workers, have been delightful. If more people could come out about their involvement in sex work, this would be clear to everyone, but as long as clients in particular are demonised, what chance of that is there?”

Richard

“My mother was a prostitute in Soho in the 1950s and my father was a client.
I was made in and for the sex industry. I started out learning massage in the 70's in a cute straight sauna in Charlotte Street. Then I went to work in a “naughty” parlour where the money was much better, and the men were happier. Once I got used to it, I was happy too. Over time I realized I could do this as a career.
I became a Tantric mistress. It was wonderful and empowering, I was the tart with a heart so I never earned a fortune but I earned a living. I worked for myself and I was doing something I loved. I think all women would learn loads from spending time in the work room with me. The people who pay for sex and all its thrills are not just naughty married men. Some people never touch another person unless there's a nice woman who (nudge nudge, wink wink) lets them.”

Jahnet, daughter of the light ^o^maker of Love on Earth
(see Tuppy's Page)

“I worked at SW5, the London project for male and transgendered sex workers for five years from 2002. Most of the people we help have made the positive decision to start selling their sexual services in their 20s and 30s. These are adults making considered judgements, not victims. In all of my five years, in which time I talked to many hundreds of male and trans sex workers, a large proportion of them born outside the UK, I only heard of one man who had been 'trafficked' and forced into sex work and that was when police in Brighton contacted the project for advice.”

Ian

"Speaking from personal experience, I would like to say that being a sex worker does not damage you in any way shape or form. I worked my whole life in an office, well first as a waitress, then contract catering, then accounting administration, for a very poor wage, barely able to survive. That damaged me!!! It ruined my quality of life. I lived in a rented tatty room and was never been able to afford any decent roof over my head, exposing me to a very poor lifestyle and all that goes with poverty, often no money for travel to work, and struggling for decent food and, to be very truthful and borrowing of flatmates etc. This had been my life story never any money for anything, let alone run a car.
Since entering the sex industry, I now have a car, I am on the property ladder, I have food in my cupboards and can pay my bills, I can even go to the hair dressers and go on holiday, no doubt these are all things you are fully accustomed to. My life has become a joy to live, I have things to look forward to. All my clients are complete Gentlemen never have I had a predatory client that was abusive in anyway. Most of them are more scared of us than we are off them. Entering the sex industry saved my life in a way, as poverty breeds depression, I was on anti-depressants for depression I felt suicidal many times due to money pressures and life so so pointless, but now, thank god for the adult industry, I now life a truly happy and fulfilled life. !!! "

Anon

"I worked as a sex worker for 12 years, starting at 23, as a means of killing two birds with one stone – namely lack of money and need for sex. I enjoyed my work and helped many people male and female able-bodied and disabled, to understand more about how to make a woman come. If anyone came to me with disrespect or bad attitude, I turned them away. I was always in control of my own working environment, and worked because I wanted to. Since I quit 8 years ago, I have gained a 2.1 law degree and work in a solicitors office. I disagree with the criminalisation of clients and the punitive measures being proposed for women caught soliciting. The so-called feminists who are pushing their "all prostitution is violence" agenda should be exposed as the misogynists they are, and stop infantalising women who chose to work in the sex industry by trying to save them from a life they have no wish to leave."

Amanda Penfold, Green Party

"I have been involved in the sex industry for the past fifteen years. This was a choice i made as a young woman living in Austrailia before moving to the UK. It has allowed me make many choices in my life, such as travelling freedom moneywise and much needed flexibility, i feel i wouldn't otherwise have had. I also love the close interaction with people and sometimes the sex.My experiences within the industry have been often fasinating and i have never had a traumatic experience or been forced to do something against my will. Infact my most traumatic experience was working as a secretary where my employer was a passive bully."

Baillee

"I have been a sex worker for seven years - and I love my job. I'd thought I'd be good at this as I'm very comfortable with my body and non-judgemental about others' sexual behaviour:
so long as there is consent, sexual practise is one's personal choice. I was lucky enough to meet other people already in the business and was mentored by them - when they retired I set up on my own. That was five years ago, and since then I've seen thousands of clients. There are many people I know well and care deeply for, and others I have seen only once or twice. I love having a job where the focus is giving pleasure, and it's a privilege to be part of making someone's sexual fantasies come true.
The law as it stands endangers sex workers by preventing us from working in premises together, and victimises street sex workers by criminalising them and their clients, without addressing the root causes of street sex work - lack of opportunity, homelessness, poor educational success, social stigma, drug use.
I want everyone to have freedom to choose when, with whom and why they have sex, and for those choices to be respected and free from exploitation."

Catherine

"I entered the sex industry after working as a lap dancer. I answered an advertisment in a post office window. In the initial meeting my boss didn't place any pressure on me, he simply told me how his agency operated. He was patient and told me to go away, have a think and let him now. The next day I came back to him because he was a genuine guy. He asked me my does and don'ts and he was always very respectful.
I have worked for him now, for 5 years with some breaks. He has always been fair with me and kept me busy with regular clients. Generally, I enjoy my work because I get the chance to meet many different people, so there is much variety. It also allows me a lot of freedom - the oppotunity to earn substantial money in a short space of time enabling me to travel a lot and pay for my study fees.
I am a healthy and concious young lady. I don't drink, smoke or take other illegal substances. I am happy working in the sex industry and I enjoy life."

Lilly

“As sex worker, I feel I play a useful social, educational and supportive role in society, that's often overlooked. It was my choice to do this work. I could have chosen another job as I have a first class honours degree and am not incapable of doing something else. I have no regrets, do not see myself as a victim and do not want to leave the job. Infact I have a lot of job satisfaction, particularly, but not exclusively working with disabled people. I feel it is a human right to be able to use my body as I choose. There are many jobs with a degree of risk, e.g. policewoman, firewoman, army woman. Even nurses working in casualty on a Saturday night face risks. No one questions their right to do those jobs. I believe that criminalising men who pay for sex, whilst it may appear to be "progressive" will not work in practice. Sex work must be recognised as playing a useful role and sex workers trained to aspire to standards, as in any other profession."

Ariana Chevalier