Please understand

I will start by saying that I speak for no one other than myself here; And though I know it may seem like I'm flogging a dead horse, I just want you to hear me out. The topic? Screenings and deposits. I know, I know - I can hear you as you groan, see the cringe...But for just one moment, I ask you to look outside of your world and see into that of another.

Workplace violence against women is a common experience, with approx 62.1% of women having experienced some form of workplace violence in the last five years. This included being sworn at, bullying, physical attacks, sexual harassment, stalking and rape. Identified ‘at risk’ workplace scenarios: ■ working alone (in small business, from home, community care and domestic workers); ■ providing care, advice or training (nurses and other health workers, social and community workers); ■ handling money or valuables; and ■ working with mentally disturbed, drunk or potentially violent people (mental health, hospitality)

(AIHW 2021)

There are many variations of sex work, from street based to brothel and private workers; and every individual embarks in the industry for their own reasons. Some are survival sex workers, some are students working through Uni while others are single parents who find the schedule fits their family routine well. And although everyone has their own ideas about what the role involves, every individual experiences different things: clients, circumstances, situations etc. Sometimes, some one may find themselves in a situation with a client that is out of their control - predatory even. Because whether we like to admit it or not, there are individuals out there that are like that, and do seek out sex workers to prey on. So for myself personally, when I ask for any information, I truly don't care about you're high profile/office job or what you do on weekends...I just want to be able to verify that the person I am seeing is not a convicted rapist.

In the time I have spent working within this industry, it has only been in recent months that I have started requesting deposits for certain bookings. Times I do ask? When the travel involved is more than 20 minutes from my location, when it's after midnight or for a lengthy/involved appointment. Why? well, believe it or not, there actually ARE people that make fake bookings and get off on being a general pest, and since the onset of life as we now know it, those people seemed to have sprouted like weeds. A small deposit shows authenticity of booking, takes care of screening if paid via payID and is not required until I am about to embark on my journey to the individual in question. Not evryone likes the idea of this, and I understand that 100%...I have had people offer instead to pay my uber there and back, as well as the booking rate in leui of a deposit. This is also fine.

Ranvir Singh: Jailed for 6 years for the rape of a sex worker.

MP Michael Johnsen: accused of raping a sex worker ( has since resigned from Parliament, before the investigation gains too much traction).

Krystian Mynott: Found guilty of raping two male escorts via fraud.

Sexual assault is a crime: ■ whether any semen is ejaculated or not; ■ even if you’ve had sex with the person some other time; ■ even if you’ve agreed to another type of sexual service (for example, you may have agreed to vaginal penetration but this doesn’t mean you agreed to anal penetration); ■ whether you’re female, male or transgender; and ■ whether you’re a sex worker, community worker or construction worker (2002, para. 03)