# Tell me about working at a legal brothel. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046 "2008-11-30T13:59:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046/21 "2008-12-01T21:44:06Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > While not legal there are apartment complexes here in the Bay Area that are more or less like brothels, but I’m sure that is more common than just in my neck of the woods. Whole apartment complexes? Or did you mean just like “special” apartments tucked away in a complex somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046/22 "2008-12-01T21:54:21Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > Can’t help you with any factual data, but I’ve heard that the ‘legit’ places in the US are very expensive- like $1,000+ per ‘experience’. In a way this makes sense since a John is paying for a lot more safety in the process. > > While not legal there are apartment complexes here in the Bay Area that are more or less like brothels, but I’m sure that is more common than just in my neck of the woods. The first time I went to Sheri’s Ranch (an “upscale” brothel) was about 6 or 7 years ago, and I paid $300 for a “half & half”- started with oral sex, then intercourse. I was there a few months ago, and paid $500 for the same thing. The ladies set their own prices, and are usually willing to negotiate, so there may be some ladies still willing to do it for less than $500. The very attractive ones can charge more. They are checked for STD’s weekly- state law, I believe. I could start an “Ask the legal brothel patron” thread! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046/23 "2008-12-01T23:05:38Z")
Like Bumbershoot, I too have been to Sheri’s (multiple times). I’ve talked with some of the girls on occasion and have a basic understanding of how things work. A few months back we had a similar thread where I answered some questions. If you’re curious, just search my posts (there aren’t that many) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046/24 "2008-12-02T09:59:29Z")
> [@Omegaman](#): > > Living in Vegas I’d be curious to know where these brothels are. I have visited many strip clubs and quite a few prostitutes here and I’ve never heard of any brothels. I have been out of the loop for 15 years though. Heh. :smack: Nevada I meant. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046/25 "2008-12-02T10:36:27Z")
I happened to come across [this article](http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/financial-crisis-forcing-women-into-brothels/2008/12/01/1227979877333.html) about the Queensland sex industry while doing economic research at work. Some interesting points: About half the workers in legal brothels are tertiary students. Most customers are married. The biggest cause of revenue loss is internet matchmaking sites. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046/26 "2008-12-02T13:42:28Z")
> [@Incref](#): > > I’m in Queensland, Australia. Brothels were made legal in 1999 and there quite a few of them in South East Queensland (I would say mostly as I live near a very touristy area with a lot of money and international business). They are only allowed to operate in industrial areas (from memory) and you wouldn’t even know they are there unless you were looking. > > [Here’s a wikipedia article on it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Australia)(though I would question the 12 to 16 million visits made each year, the Australian population is only 20 million!). That of course doesn’t mean that 3/4 of the population visited- it means that they had that many visits from regular clients and international tourists. (I am guessing you are near the Gold Coast) ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046/27 "2008-12-02T14:06:17Z")
It’s probably a very small percentage of the total, but there’s also tourists. I have a friend who visited Australia last year and had wonderful things to say about the prostitutes there (as opposed to those in Amsterdam, who he found to be impersonal and business-like). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-working-at-a-legal-brothel/475046.md?page=1)