Coronavirus Fears Are Decimating The Sex Industry

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In the epicenter of America’s coronavirus outbreak, sex workers are one of the first groups making adjustments.

Some have started taking their temperature every morning and asking their clients to do the same. Others have instituted no-kissing policies. Those who can afford to are setting up webcam sites or leaving the city entirely.

“I’m already seeing women in danger of moving into homeless encampments or losing custody of their kids,” said Suzanne Myers, a Seattle-based escort who also does outreach and community organizing. (All of the sex workers quoted in this article are using pseudonyms due to fear of law enforcement attention.) “For single moms or people working to keep their heads above water, having a dry week is difficult. Having two or three will be devastating.”

Myers said two of her clients have canceled appointments in the last three days and inquiries from new clients have dried up entirely. She has just one date scheduled this week, a man who usually pays for sex but downgraded his appointment to a social lunch due to his concerns about the virus.

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Plus, the sex industry relies on customers from the groups most at risk of contracting the virus and dying from it. 

“Four out of five of my clients are men above 60 with at least one pre-existing health condition,” Myers said. “I’ve already had guys tell me, ‘I’m 63 and I’ve got lung problems, so I’m out of the game for a few weeks.’ If I were in that situation I’d be doing the same thing.”

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