We all know that prostitution is the oldest profession in the world and that sex is the main currency wherever you go. It’s the same in Europe, and particularly Spain. The Old Continent’s fourth-largest country is home to some of the most beautiful and joyful men and women working in the sex industry. However, their good looks and willingness to provide sexual services in exchange for money come across numerous challenges every day.
Sure enough, working in prostitution isn’t an easy job. This goes for all countries and cities across the globe. From safety concerns and non-existent health insurance to quasi-moral judgment from their environment, being a red-light-district worker is difficult. But what is so unique about Spain, and how does it affect Spain’s sex tourism? How does it compare to the United States? Well, let’s find out.
Escort Industry Background
Before we continue talking about escort and sex tourism in Spain, we need to clarify what this industry is actually. Namely, many people confuse escorts with your beady eye hookers and gigolos that work the streets. Escorts are, however, on a somewhat higher level than their co-workers that mingle in shady parts of towns and back alleys. They work with wealthier clients and don’t always provide sexual services, yet only company.
Both male and female escorts appear as well-off individuals. They wear the best suits and dresses and work for agencies. This way, clients come in contact with them via a middle man who receives calls or texts telling them what kind of partner someone’s looking for. Although this might sound like straight-up 1970s-Manhattan-pimping, it helps provide security to escorts. The chances of something going wrong are less likely than in street prostitution.
Naturally, escorts aren’t necessarily sex workers. They don’t need to provide sexual services to their clients. Moreover, nine out of ten agencies won’t even list intercourse for clients to choose from. This is optional, and escorts and their clients agree whether they’ll have any action between the sheets without their agency’s involvement. It’s similar to strip clubs, where you can’t touch the dancers, but you can meet after and hook up on your own.
The Struggles in Escort Industry
As we’ve said, working in the escort industry isn’t the same as street prostitution. It has more pros, and it’s generally considered safer. However, this doesn’t mean that there are no negatives for Spanish men and women working as fancy escorts. Prostitution in Spain suffers from similar issues, as do its relatives in other countries. From human trafficking to lack of health care, escorts encounter struggles almost every day.
The sad reality is that many escorts are products of the worldwide sex trade. Regardless of whether they are working in the escort industry in Madrid or some small town, they enter this line of work forcibly without having a say. Moreover, many escorts start working as prostitutes while minors. This is a major issue across the world, let alone in Spain. But, unfortunately, it’s not the only one. There are quite a few more.
When it comes to an industry that relies on sex trafficking, it’s only logical to imagine how workers in it have little to no health care. And yes, that’s correct. Most men and women working as escorts might appear as well-off individuals, but the reality is far from that. They have no health care, even if prostitution in Spain isn’t illegal ever since the mid-90s. And since sex is a major part of their line of work, just imagine how they treat STIs.
How Sex Workers React to the Issues
Madrid, as a sex tourism destination, is more than popular for men and women from all over the world. As such, it attracts all sorts of characters. From those who just want to have a good time to those who might hurt escorts and other prostitutes. And even though everyone knows that, there’s no reaction from the authorities.
Troubles on the horizon for escorts means they need to take care of themselves with only the help of their agencies. This is still better than being a street hooker, but in some cases, it’s not enough. To avoid coming in contact with a psychopath, they have to rely on their instincts. It’s needless to say that male escorts have it easier when it comes to this.
On the flip side, the issue of health is yet another problem they solve on their own. Without health care, they have to pay much more than other people to receive basic medical checkups. And when it comes to testing and treating sexually transmitted diseases, this is a major issue. Due to costs, some who are careless skip them, further spreading infections.
How the Government Acts Towards the Struggles
It’s still not clear how the current Spanish government views prostitution. Their prime minister recently called for abolishing it as it enslaves women. Still, many argue how that’s not the solution, either because the sex industry in Spain is worth almost $4.5 million or because thousands of men and women will lose their main source of income. Either way, the situation is pretty tricky, and it seems like there’s no answer on the table currently.
There are numerous laws and legislations in Spain that concern prostitution and, in turn, escorts. For example, one can’t provide services from their car or in the street. However, these are rarely applied, and such a lack of care leads to most issues that we’ve mentioned.
Progression or Deterioration?
Due to an unclear plan and direction in which to take prostitution, escort in Spain is still present in all its forms. From agencies providing their clients with both men and women to accompany them throughout the day to the two parties agreeing to sex, you can have all sorts of fun in Madrid, Barcelona, and other major cities. But is this a step in the right direction, or is it an issue waiting to be dealt with?
On one side, we can say that a blossoming sex industry in Spain is a good thing. It provides many men and women a chance to put food on their table and express themselves sexually. Nevertheless, it’s problematic without any clear rule of law that will protect workers from being exploited. Without proper health care, safety, and no trafficking, the sex industry is still the most problematic of all in Spain and most other European countries.
How the Escort Industry Turned Out
Nowadays, Spain is still one of the leading sex tourist destinations in the world. It’s the country where most kinksters from all over the globe head over, looking for an unforgettable time. From major cities like Madrid and Barcelona to numerous islands like Ibiza and Mallorca, you can find all kinds of sex services you can imagine.
If you’re into fancy-looking men or women who can accompany you all day long, looking like your actual partner, look no further than hiring an escort. Aside from beautiful Spaniards, you can enjoy the company of all other ethnicities. South Americans, Africans, Eastern Europeans, and Asians are all part of the escort industry in Spain.