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The numbers confirm the view that the life of a street prostitute is far from easy. The women were beaten up by their clients once a month on average and the sex acts requested by these clients were often "mind boggling," Levitt said.
"The availability of premarital sex has largely crowded out standard garden variety prostitution," Levitt told the packed room. "What's left is a lot of stuff that the market of wives and girlfriends won't easily provide."
How things have changed. In the 1930-40's, some 50 percent of men lost their virginity to prostitutes, but to have a first sexual experience with a prostitute these days is a rarity.
The Market for Street Prostitutes in Chicago
Seeded on Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:06 PM EST
Article Source: Portfolio.com: Top 5- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (23)
Pimps, it turns out, did a good job of directing customers to prostitutes and paid the women better wages. In fact, women in the survey who found out that the researchers had pimp connections asked to be put in touch with the pimps.
Prostitutes in the study worked 11 to 12 hours a week and made between $25- to $35-an-hour compared with an average of $7-an-hour for other types income opportunities. (In contrast, Levitt said a female friend stopped working as a computer scientist and is now a high-priced call girl making well over $100,000 per year.)
I might need to consider a career change.
- 10 votes
#1 - Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:07 PM ESTViki,
I might need to consider a career change.
In our new global economy, that would fit perfectly with the U.S. becoming a "Service" economy.
I'm thinking about going back to doing lap dances myself...
- 4 votes
We can go into business together. ;)
Try not to advertise that on Newsvine, I would hate to have to report that to the Anti-Spam group :-)
- 2 votes
Darn, you beat me to this. Some fascinating data here. I came across this while researching a discussion about how, imo, marriage and prostitution aren't that different. :D I was astonished at how many people resent being told that all relationships are transactions. I think I hit a nerve with a lot of folks based on the outraged denial of my pov.
Other things I found interesting:
- In the 1930-40's, some 50 percent of men lost their virginity to prostitutes, but to have a first sexual experience with a prostitute these days is a rarity.
- Repeat customers who were black also paid a lot less than average, but that wasn't the case for whites.
Fascinating.
- 4 votes
#2 - Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:53 PM ESTIf the customer was black (as were all the prostitutes in the study)
Hmmm.
Only black prostitutes in those areas?
or
only black prostitutes would talk to them?
- 2 votes
#3 - Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:32 PM ESTInteresting question. Blacks make up over a third of the population of Chicago, according to Wikipedia, so it couldn't be because there are only black prostitutes. Perhaps that area is predominantly black? I don't know that much about Chicago.
- 2 votes
Yes. The south side of Chicago, particularly the neighborhoods included in the study, are predominantly black.
- 3 votes
Then I guess it would stand to reason that the professional women there would be black. I know if I were to take up that line of work, I would not be messing in other ladies' turf. LOL Of course, if I were to take up that line of work, I'd probably start by taking one of the many offers I've had to work for different phone sex companies where I have friends who work or even go into the porn industry. There's a big, pardon the pun, demand for fat women having sex on tape. Go figure.
So, just to open up another kettle of fish where I can possibly piss of any number of people, is black prostitutes giving black men a discount racist? Actually, they charge white men more. What do you think?
- 2 votes
Doesn't that violate the EOE or something? I'll ask my local pimp, I live in New York City, not a problem...
- 2 votes
The last "pimp mobile" I ever saw was when I lived in the DC area, I have never seen it here, it goes on of course, but well hidden in massage places that every once in a long while you hear about.
- 2 votes
#4 - Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:04 PM ESTI find it fascinating that black customers pay less on average than the white ones. Also of note is that having a pimp is a good thing to them.
- 2 votes
#5 - Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:37 AM ESTI found that very interesting. I guess having someone to manage your business affairs is always a good thing?
Undoubtedly pimps provide a certain level of protection from perv johns, act as agents in driving customers to a woman and keep the cops bribed and docile. And, likely, the vast majority of them aren't the violence, abuse a$$holes we see portrayed on television. And just having someone to turn to, in a likely bleak and lonely world, can't be bad either.
I moved to Chicago in 1972. The West Side (Austin District) was just changing. Me and few buddies were walking by a row of stores on Lake St. when a black man dressed in womans clothes stepped out and asked me if I "wanted a date". I shook my head and we walked on. The West Side became a breeding ground for all sorts of illegal activity, hookers, drugs, rapes and murders. The cops that worked the Austin area were overwhelmed they went from protecting a middle class neighborhood to almost complete chaos in a few years.
Victimless crime? I think not.
- 1 vote
#6 - Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:24 AM ESTIt's weird when you head east past Austin, it's like you've stepped into another world. Ah, cutesy stores, little shops, trendy restaurants...BOOM...get past Austin and everything changes.
- 1 vote
Thats becasue Oak Park stood the test. I lived on Madison St near Oak Park Ave for years before buying a house in Elmwood Park. I always felt safe in my neighborhood.
- 1 vote
We always feel safe in our own neighborhoods, don't we? ;)
A year or so ago, I was in Oak Park for something and then had to head downtown. It was around 5 p.m., so rather than hop onto the Ike and then crawl for an hour, I decided to take the scenic route.
I headed east on Madison.
What struck me was the nearly instant and very obvious police presence. Suddenly, there were flashing blue lights on every corner for the emergency call boxes. Cameras all over the place. It was really weird.
Geographically, it's a great area. Close to the city, close to the expressway, etc. Nobody will dump any money into it because of the crime rate, but unless some money gets dumped in there, nothing is going to improve for the people who live there. That viscious crime-poverty circle.
I headed east on Madison.
Are you crazy? A retorical question. I live in Florida now if my girlfriend would let me I would be packing heat. My brother lives in West Palm always carries his .38 on his belt. I live near Tampa things happen here that freak me out. I depend on my street smarts can keep me out of trouble, I hope.
- 1 vote
Lol. Yes, I might be. I've just sent you a note asking if you're still living in Chicago, but I guess I should have read this commnt first. ;)
When I realized what I had done, I was stuck. I didn't want to try to head south and hit the Ike. I locked my doors, put my purse on the floor, and stared straight ahead. It was still daylight, not that it really matters necessarily.
I've made a couple of airheaded moves in my life that put me in the wrong place, but fortunately it's never turned out to be the wrong time.
- 1 vote
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