No matter how attractive the legal sex industry in Mexico may seem, and no matter how much the sex workers themselves praise it, every job has its nuances and pitfalls, and these cannot be discovered without delving into the specifics of the profession and talking candidly with the sex workers themselves. For example, correspondents of Pander managed to talk to one of Tijuana’s top prostitutes, who knows firsthand how difficult it is to break through from the bottom to the elite segment.
Revelations of a Tijuana escort
Carla is a young, attractive Mexican woman who works in the office of a local publishing house and enjoys shopping with her friends on her days off, but not all of her acquaintances know why she so rarely agrees to evening outings. The thing is, Carla has another job — for more than two years, she has been working part-time at a large escort agency that provides escorts for wealthy foreigners. The prostitute spoke candidly about her work and her long journey to the top.
– When did you start providing intimate services?
– I was 19 when I realized that my family couldn’t afford to send me to university, and without an education, it’s impossible to find a good job. At that time, one of my friends was already working as a prostitute for a few hours in the evenings, and when she found out about my problems, she suggested we join forces.
– So you worked together?
– At first, we rented a small apartment on the outskirts of the city, where we took turns meeting clients from the internet.
– You didn’t work on the street?
– Street prostitution is unsafe for young girls, as it’s easy to get caught by local gangsters. So we worked through specialized websites where we could post our profiles and photos. I took photos wearing a mask so that my acquaintances wouldn’t recognize me, but even so, I got a lot of calls from clients.
– Why did you decide to work alone?
– Not every prostitute is willing to share clients and give in to competitors, so my friend and I had arguments about who would invite men to our shared apartment and when. It often happened that both of us were booked for the same time, and neither of us wanted to give in. And since I had already saved up some money and even enrolled in university, we decided to split up, and I continued to provide sex services on my own, renting small motel rooms by the hour.
– How did you get into escorting?
– First, I met a wealthy man who regularly invited me to his place and left generous tips. After several months of regular meetings, he advised me to send my resume to one of the well-known escort agencies, as he thought I was very beautiful and would be a good fit for them.
– And they took you?
– Of course not. It’s impossible for a simple prostitute from the street to break into Tijuana’s top sex services without effort. But they told me I had potential and explained what I needed to work on. As a result, I took English classes, signed up for fitness and swimming lessons, went to a cosmetologist and makeup artist — in short, I invested my savings in my own development and appearance.
– Was your second visit to the agency more successful?
– This time they gave me a chance – they were surprised by my changes, and besides, a previous client put in a good word for me. But even so, it was a long competition, with dozens of girls fighting for the same spot.
– How long did it take you to become an escort?
– From the moment I got into sex services in Tijuana to the start of my work at a top agency, almost four years passed, and I’ve been working here for over two years now. Before that, I posted my ad on Pander, like many of my prostitute friends.
– Do you like it better here?
– Escorting is more about companionship than prostitution, and not every client wants to continue the evening in their room. Besides, it’s better to have sex in fancy hotels for hundreds of dollars than to entertain Mexicans in hotel rooms on the outskirts of Tijuana. This job allowed me to finish my studies and find a job at a well-known local publication, and now it keeps me afloat while I climb the career ladder.
