It's all about the money - Lacy Muircastle reporting...

Earlier this week my colleague JoyMell reported on the escort and prostitution scene in Second Life and I was suffering from ‘fomo’.  Nah not really.  A friend of mine, who just so happens to be a prostitute is celebrating nine years in Second Life making her one of a select group of veteran residents.

In real life, Kathrine resides on the East Coast of the USA.  A German female friend of hers introduced her to SL and here she is nine years later. In RL she is a test team leader for an R & D company and she loves her garden. She said “SL is a stress reliever for me, let's say a stress diversion. I love to dance and have learnt how to design and create clothes.”

She took to exploring with vigour and within three days she had a job as a stripper.  The lady who owned the strip club took Kathrine under her wing and so her journey began in earnest.  As far as she was concerned it was job just like everyone else’s.  She had to show up, dance which she enjoyed anyway, and get paid for doing so.

I asked the question I’m sure she’s been asked any number of times in her time in SL, that being what made her want to be a prostitute in SL.  In a nutshell it’s all about the money…

Kathrine was the number one dancer at A Touch of Sin from 2009 to the end of 2010.  To say that she made significant money during that time would be an understatement. I mean who would sniff at 450 000 L$?  All from tips.  But then the economy in the USA went to pieces.  She stopped stripping and creating clothing and decided to become a prostitute instead.  In less than a year she’d made 150 000 L$.  Clearly there is always money available for sex, virtual or otherwise.

Kathrine works out of the Streetwhores sim only.  She said “It’s the owners that make or break your ability to make money, same as in RL.”  She doesn’t have any daddy issues, ghosts of abuse or worse still financial hardship (in our society the embarrassment of being poor seems to eclipse all of life’s real, emotional, hard hitting issues) but she’s in this business because she wants to be.

Her current rate is "1000 L$ for 30 minutes or best offer."  She keeps all the money she makes.  Her only real cost is the rent of 150 L$ a week for her whore house apartment.

I asked her how she'd describe the connection she has with her customers.  She said “if they cannot emote, be friendly and talk about him.” 

I then asked her what she thought the biggest misconception about prostitution in SL is.  She said “It’s really just a business. In my case there is no RL physical interaction. So it becomes entertainment, like in a geisha house.”

Geisha are traditional Japanese female entertainers who act as hostesses and whose skills include performing various arts such as classical music, dance, games and conversation, mainly to entertain male customers.

Kathrine said she’d never fallen in love with any of her customers.  She has become good friends with some, but does not have a boyfriend.  She doesn’t do slavery, BDSM, freebies, webcam or voice.

She’d like to thank her friends from all around the world, for making her Second Life as enjoyable as it has been and she hopes to continue making many more friends in the years to come.

Congratulations on your ninth rezz day Kathrine and many more.