One day, sex work will be recognized as being of undeniable public utility.

In our country, more than 900 prostitution parlors, clubs and escort services have been identified, according to a study commissioned by the Federal Police Office, generating a turnover exceeding one billion francs.

With the advent of COVID-19, the sex industry has been shaken. The most creative ones have innovated by offering new forms of virtual sexual relations. Others did not hesitate to take risks by operating on the margins of illegality. It is undeniable that sex often awakens in the face of the forbidden. Although Switzerland legalized prostitution in 1992, no country has yet repealed all of its criminal laws relating to the practice. This raises social and economic questions that go beyond the legislative framework.

For many years, most customers have been male. However, this trend is changing. Women are becoming emancipated and their sexual appetite is growing. Thus, the sex trade is booming among women, with the emergence of male escort services. These are women, mostly in positions of responsibility, married or divorced. As for the men, they come from all social backgrounds. Around 10 to 18% of them have already succumbed to the charms of a sex worker at least once in their life. This figure even reaches 70% in Japan, a country where, remember, 40% of young people under 35 are still virgins.

The 5 typical profiles of men who consume paid sexual services

1. The shy: men lacking confidence, emotionally and sexually isolated, with limited sexual competence, who do not give themselves opportunities to meet. We can include in this category young people who are more and more likely to want to have their first sexual intercourse with a professional.
2. Those dissatisfied with their sexuality as a couple: those who consider their wife as a sacred figure, a Madonna with pure breasts, and who believe that their sexuality should not be abrupt or fanciful.
3. Those resistant to commitment and responsibilities: often hurt by romantic failures, they prefer to avoid emotional attachments and the responsibilities that result from them.
4. Sex addicts: those for whom the need to consume has taken control of their impulses.
5. Individuals who support a masculinity based on sexual duty and who prioritize quantity over quality may be described as “macho.” These men opt for a more functional and energetic sexuality, avoiding any intimacy that is often associated with the feminine world.

Despite the different motivations that push individuals to use paid sexual services, it is important to recognize that sex work is a reality that plays a role in society. A better understanding of this industry and adequate regulation would help to better protect it.

Pay to prove nothing, owe nothing and avoid any judgment! The fact of paying simplifies exchanges and excites more than one person. Visiting sex workers is not limited to the “sex starved” alone! Some prefer to satisfy their appetites by choosing "gorgeous" people, while others seek confidences shared on the pillow. The stranger will not steal anything from them, not even their virility during shared intimate moments. Although kisses and feelings are often excluded from the price, some clients dream of true love; they fall in love with an "intelligent companion" capable of wielding Cupid's arrows to perfection, which keeps them kind to them. As for female clients, they aspire more to be admired, to be taken to a restaurant or to the theater, but they also seek pleasure or the improvement of their sexual skills.

More than 80% of sex workers are women, and the vast majority of them are under 25 years old. Some love their work, some don't, as is the case with all of us. They are certainly not all victims, except of their precariousness. Most of them choose to pursue this sex profession. It is self-determination that makes the difference between a victim and a responsible person. Allowing sex workers to be inactive does not seem to be the right solution. Regardless of their feelings about their work, they want complete decriminalization and the opportunity to work in good conditions. Negotiation time, often hampered by law, is a crucial moment in their profession, which allows them to analyze the possible dangers linked to client requests.

Precariousness is a persistent problem in our societies, just like sexuality. Sex is beneficial for health and part of our basic need for communication. It is certainly more rewarding when shared with a reciprocally loving person. However, faced with the complexity of sexuality in relationships, some turn to prostitution establishments, hoping to avoid the emotional costs linked to conflicts. Ironically, male fragility finds greater freedom of expression among sex workers than in society at large. Conversely, women have never needed to hide their vulnerabilities and are now emancipating themselves to applause, which will soon cause the Escort boy market to explode. Yes, sex work still has a future and is of public interest. Legislation should better support the interests of paid sex workers.