Since these establishments are illegal in most places (Nevada excluded), I need to ask what kind of job this is. Is it a challenge to recruit workers? Is the turnover rate high? Finally, are the day-to-day chores inherent in running a house of ill repute worth it? What kind of compensation can I expect?
Is it dangerous?
Can I add one more question? Why? Are you planning to open one? Take over the management of one? Either way, since I doubt the SDMB is filled with former madams and pimps, maybe the best source of info would be the managers of the famous cathouses in Nevada.
My WAG (assuming legal brothels): Recruitment is probably not that difficult. The difficult part might be in finding people that fit the look you’re going for (i.e. attractive women, if that’s what your business needs). I imagine the day-to-day chores aren’t much different than any other business. The bathrooms still need to be cleaned. The sheets need to be washed (just more often). Health insurance is surely higher. You still have to manage the books and make sure your licenses are up-to-date.
I remember an interesting website about a guy who loved to visit brothels and he mentioned how most of them allow the women to decide what they’re willing to do and how much they’ll charge.
I have no idea what kind of money can be made in something like this, but as for danger, I would imagine that as long as some sort of staff security was on-hand, it’s no more dangerous than any other somewhat seedy business (like a casino or bar).
But if you do find out, be sure to post. I find prostitution to be quite an interesting profession from a sociology and psychology standpoint.
There was an article on it in The New Yorker a few months back. It’s reprinted at http://www.rebeccamead.com/2001/2001_04_23_art_reno.htm
You would be surprised. I spent a year of my life managing an Escort agency.
I stand corrected, Ginger.
How interesting, Ginger. Why not tell us about that experience. 
A former acquaintance of mine managed strippers. Totally professional. The girls loved him.
I did a website for an escort…but in my city thats about all you can find. Not big ones like the Mustang Ranch ( You can read about that)…
Have any of you read Mayflower Madam? It’s about an escort service, not a brothel, but it’s a really fun read.
Ok, Ginger, I gotta question for ya.
What is the difference between an escort service and any other run-of-the-mill prostitution service?
I used to babysit for a woman who worked for an escort service but the place she worked at was supposedly “sex optional.” Basically her job, supposedly, was to show up at corporate parties with fat middle aged balding men and look pretty. If she wanted to nail him afterwards, fine, if not, fine as well.
Are there REALLY escort services like this, or is it a big lie escorts tell in order to keep from looking like total prostitutes?
Are escorts required to be smart and participate in conversations, or just look cute?
The escort agency that I worked for was on an out-call basis only. The women didn’t come into the office except to pay their fees. Escort agencies are completely legal where I lived, but a bordello or whorehouse or chicken ranch would not be. The escort agency sent women out on dates, but never mentioned sex. That would be solicitation for the purpose of prostitution, and the would be illegal. Even though I was in the office, I would have been charged with that.
Please note that prostitution in and of itself is not illegal in Canada. Solicitation for the purpose of prostitution, and living off of the avails of prostitution (pimping) are very illegal.
We managed them as though it was an office services place. We put the ads in the papers, we maintained an office, we charged a fee through the office that the women paid to us. The men they ‘dated’ would pay the escorts much more than what the office was paid.
I had a totally professional attitude toward the job. I did not get involved in the skeevy side of the business. We had addicts and street hookers who wanted to get off of the street and get into a more legitimate place of work, and we helped them do that. I am not condoning the practice, mind, but it is not my place to judge.
This was in Calgary, Alberta. Calgary requires all strippers and escorts to hold licenses. The strippers had to dance for a specific period of time to (my memory is unclear on this detail) either two fast and one slow, or two slow and one fast song. This was strictly adhered to, and all of the dancers gave us their tapes and musical selections so that we could show the police or licensing bureau if they ever decided to have a look at our books.
Every single call that any of the escorts or dancers went on was recorded. Date, time, address. Names of the people they ‘dated’ were not part of the requirements for our ledger.
It was at that time of my life that I acquired the name “Ginger”. I did not wish any of the clients to know my real name. Calgary is a fairly large city by Canadian standards, but you know that it would be an old teacher or friends’ dad that called and would think I was hooking.
There are, I’m sure, escort services that send women out on dates to look good and whatnot. I have just never heard of any in Calgary. Many of the girls had regulars who would just want to talk - lonely older men, mostly. Most of the regulars, though, were looking to get laid or dominated, and they got their money’s worth. At least, that’s the impression I got.
I developed a don’t ask, don’t tell attitude very early on. I didn’t want to know what these women did, debasing themselves for money. I didn’t want to know what was paying for their next fix. I didn’t want to have to lie to their boyfriends when I called to tell them they had a client calling. I didn’t want to know any of it, and I quit when I couldn’t bear it any longer. The owner decided that I would make a lot more money out on call than I would in the office, and I walked out the door.
I wonder how you would interview a candidate for a job at a Brothel. Written test? Practical exam? If I had that job I’m pretty sure I would not have a clue how to interview someone
Sliding Sideways Through Life by Claudia Shearer (based on a one-woman show of the same name) has a couple of chapters describing her employment answering phones for a small brothel in NYC.
Interesting, funny, disturbing, and a bit sad too. The whole book’s pretty good for that matter, although a quick read.
'vark.
“Sandra, I’ve noticed that your fake orgasms have been varying in length lately. Here, we try to have four moans and nine gasps each time. I think you need to look at the Faking part of the employee training manual again”
Boss’ husband tried them out.
As far as recruitment goes, in Scotland, most activities surrounding prostitution are illegal (similar to the law in Canada I assume), but prostitution is tolerated by the police in certain locations, notably so-called saunas. You regularly get small adverts in the bottom corner of the newspaper recruitment section saying “Sauna staff required. Tel XXX-XXXX.” and no other information. I guess the women who call the number know exactly the job requirements are.
I think what you’re asking is how well must they perform on their Orals.
Only in America:
NV Brothels Discussion ForumLegal Issues:
http://www.nvbrothels.net/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=list&forum=DCForumID1&conf=DCConfID1
I checked that link, there are no dirty pictures & even on the site itself there are no dirty pictures, but they do ask that you be at least 18 to enter the site.
Just gotta love some of the topics.
Looks like someone was having a 100 post party
Hope that link is okay with the mods as that site is pretty mild compared to what I see talked about on the SD
Not 100% on topic, but if you’re really interested in the day-to-day life of brothels, I highly recommend the fascinating book Brothel by Alexa Albert.
Dr. Albert was doing research on public health, and she was able to gain permission to live and work (but not “work”) at the famous Mustang Ranch in Nevada for a year. Verra interesting. Looks like it’s out in paperback now, too.
That was um, an interesting website there, handy.
Yes, I read a bit of it.
Being as I’ve never known a hooker (as far as I know) I was surprised at how well the um, ladies expressed themselves online. I guess I just assumed that Nevada hookers were well, uneducated. (And before you jump on me for stereotyping, how the hell would I know, before tonight, that hookers in Vegas actually read? I just assumed they well, screwed all day.)
So now I have a question, maybe the men on here can help me out.
If you’re a man, wouldn’t there be well, a certain kind of pride you’d have in knowing that you were able to get laid without paying for it?
If I were a guy I’d die before admitting that I had to pay for sex.
However the guys on this message board that handy showed us seem to have absolutely no shame in blowing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for this very purpose.
So what’s the deal? Is it “acceptable” in the male culture to pay to get laid as long as she’s hot? Or is this something that, in the opinion of most men, only the truly desperate/ugly/stupid do?