Friday, my friends over at Gerlado asked me to come on the show to discuss how my agency used craigslist and my views on the safety of posting in the Erotic Services section. When Geraldo called, I hadn't heard the story but agreed to go on the show Saturday to discuss my views on craigslist and how scary it can be for girls who work independently.
For those of you that haven't heard, there have been 2 murders and 1 viscious attack committed by a young white male in the Boston/Rhode Island area who is preying on sensual masseuses who advertise on craigslist.
Saturday I get up and figure that I should at least know something about the murders so I decide to google the story to get the 411. I immediately pulled up a Daily News article and the photo of the girl shocked me! Her name is Julissa Brissman and she used to work for me.
My heart just sank. I actually knew this girl very well. I met her a couple years ago when she was blonde and just coming back from spending some time in Cali (where I'm from). We instantly hit it off, she was sweet, pretty and experienced. I hired her for my bodyrub location and she was a great employee for a number of months. SHE NEVER ESCORTED. So anyone who is calling her a prostitute thats just wrong and hurtful. She was a sensual massuese and an absolute doll.
About 6 months into her employment, I started noticing she was having some issues. We had an episode where she drank a couple of bottles of champagne I had bought for some VIP clients and passed out during her shift. I had a sit-down with her where she cried on my shoulder and I tried to help her. She went into rehab and took some time off. She came back and was back to her normal vibrate, beautiful self. She fell off the wagon shortly thereafter and took some more time off. Myself and my manager kept in close contact with her - we did truly care for those who worked for us and we wanted Julissa to be ok.
She came to talk to me again and show me she was ready to work again. She had died her hair dark and looked healthy and happy. I was so happy for her. So I rehired her. She took a month off to travel right before I got arrested and came back to no job.
When I saw it was her in the Daily News story I felt horrible. I cried. I feel guilty, mad, sad and angry. If I hadn't been busted, this girl would still be alive. I provided a safe working environment.
Now my girls are forced to be independent. They aren't going to quit the business - they have financial goals and times are tough. So, now their lives are in jeopardy because there are very few agencies to work for and girls are more scared of getting busted then they are risking their lives.
What does this say about our society? We place no value on the lives of sex workers? GIVE ME A BREAK. This is the oldest profession in the world- its NOT going anywhere. So lets legalize it so we can provide some level of safety for the thousands of girls that work in this industry.
Are we really such an uptight country where human life is not valued because we have some preconceived notions of what a person is like because of what they do? We are not god and do not have the right to judge or condemn. And thats exactly what we have done. Someone like me gets arrested and now one of my girls is dead because there is no where safe to work. Lets get off our antiquated moral ethics and start convicting the real criminals like this guy who is murdering these women.
And Spitzer, this jackass, gets away with no punishment. He was the Governor for crying out loud, he was supposed to be held to the highest standard of moral ethics and yet he commits Federal wire transfer fraud, money laundering, soliciting prostitution and breaking the Mann act and we are like "oh well". Rather than being such a raging hypocrite, he should have looked out for these girls and done the right thing. Not that he knows what that is.
I am sickened by this and the loss of Julissa. She was only a bodyrub girl - never an escort so please don't get the wrong idea. She was a doll and now she is dead - and this all could have been avoided by not busting me or even by making a dent in the industry by busting all my clients who are also criminals and shedding some light on how widespread this industry and really making a difference. Or by legalizing it so that these girls are safe.
Here is a pic of her. For any of my girls who are reading this- she used the name Stacy. Say a prayer for her family.
