|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
Why I became
a prostitute!
Poverty lends impetus to the sex trade and
despite the threat of Aids, to some it is the only key to a 'brighter'
future. Martiza is 19 years old. She lives in San José. She is a
prostitute. Or commercial sex worker, if you prefer to use the
politically-correct terminology.
Martiza has been selling her body for two years. Her going rate wavers
between $25 and $100, depending on the session, the location and time
she chooses to work. She can see up to six or eight men in one day.
Shocking as this may sound to you in view of her
tender age, Martiza is not an aberration. |
 |
There
are many more Martizas here. Eighteen-year-old
Melissa became a prostitute after completing her
secondary school education in order to earn a
livelihood.
What Melissa and Martiza have in common is that
they were introduced to the sex trade by a friend,
another girl who could now afford a better way of
life, help our her family, and pave the way for
their younger sisters to finish school and not
become a prostitute. Both families are very poor.
In one case, there is no male head of the family,
no positive male role model. The other case,
sexual abuse at a young age has created a distance
between herself and the male members of her
family.
In a lot of the cases, however, it strictly
economical. There isn't enough money to afford the
lifestyle portrayed on television, especially the
"novelas", or the magazine ads. A wage for a
unskilled and poorly educated woman are low, for a
young girl without life experiences, sometimes
there choice is simple.
Jenny, a neighbour of Maritza one day approached
and confided in her what she did to earn a living,
support her family - 2 young daughters, her
mother, a younger sister and two older brothers.
At first Martiza was confused, that men would
actually pay her to have sex with them. It didn't
matter that they may be twice or three times her
age, a mature would be more considerate and less
demanding.
Her first day at "the job" was horrifying. Her
Catholic upbringing told her that sex outside of
marriage was wrong. The father of her children had
all the intention of marrying her, their were "novios"
and both were young. She had made a mistake and
for she had been forgiven. But this? Sex for
money? She cried herself to sleep that first
night.
On her first day, she had only been able to attend
one gentleman. He was older man, maybe in his 40's, treated her well and
was very considerate for her first time, both with a foreigner and as a
prostitute.
As time went one, days passed, as did so many more
men in her life, she got accustomed to not having to worry about taking
care of the needs of her family. Financially, that is.
Money was now coming in on a regular basis. It
varied from day-to-day, sometimes she would earn as little as a few
dollars, while other days were "good days". The faces were just a blur,
the sexual act became mechanical, routine. She had it down pat; a little
tease, rub of the crotch, a little stroking, sucking and down to the
business at hand. Most men came so fast that she would sometimes end a
session or two frustrated for her own needs. Hey this is only a job.
When she got used to the job, Martiza began to
solicit for her own clients. She could now surf the bars and clubs and
choose her clients, who would pay more for her services. As she became
more confident of herself, she became more independent and now was
living the life she had always dreamed of. She now became the major
bread-winner in the household. Her family never asked how she earned her
money, nor did they question why she could earn more than two or three
times the average wage for her. And no one bothered her why she would
sometimes be away for a day or more or come home late, in the small
hours of the morning.
They too were used to the job.
 |
What is interesting is that many of the commercial
sex workers residing in San Jose originally come
from outlying areas. Like Anna. She makes her way
to the big city two or three times a month to
shop. Or, Natalia, that after making the weekly
trips, decided to move permanently and be close to
her job.
Men just walk around here looking for sex. The
girls hardly have to advertise themselves.
Health risks are always a concern. Martiza
'always' insists on a condom. But sometimes, well,
there are exceptions. Contracting HIV/Aids is a
risk that comes with the job. There is no way of
telling that the other person has some kind of
disease, this only shows later. Usually too late
to do anything about it.
As with many young girls who choose to enter the
commercial sex trade, it is only a way of pulling
oneself out of poverty. It's humiliating and
embarrassing. People look down and despise
prostitutes and men have learned to take them for
granted.
To understand the need and motivation you need
only to look at where and how they live. Some
women live in wretched makeshift shelters that are
prevalent in the poor areas of San José. When it
rains, the roofs lead and there is no difference
between being outside in a downpour and a wet
house. |
What is most frustrating about the job is that one
cannot plan ahead. It is such a dehumanizing job,
yet the money earned is enough to take care of
needs.
Tortured by the reality of their sordid lives,
most commercial sex workers express a fervent
desire to leave the job and get on with her "real"
life. Every man she meets is a potential ticket
out. But the harsh fact is that without an
alternative, the choice is but to continue.
Martiza dreams of one day becoming an esthetician.
She has thought about enrolling in a school but
somehow hasn't been able to fit into her busy
schedule of being a mother and the demands of the
job. She did enroll in an English class and
someday she will be able to dedicate the time to
attending the classes. For now, she will
concentrate on the job, her family and her dreams.
Martiza is compilation of many commercial sex
workers I have met and had the pleasure of sharing
their company in my years of visiting Costa Rica.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
