Leaving the sex trade: five steps that start with less craving
No judgement here, only the way to shore. It does not happen overnight. It starts with lowering greed by one degree and walking back one step at a time.
Start by lowering greed: five steps back
See first, blame later
Write down the money you truly need each month and the money you want. Many discover that what keeps them from leaving is not need but greed. Once you see it, you have a choice.
Cut the greed smaller
Do not rush to change jobs. First drop one expense, one venue, one group of friends. Greed is muddy water; stir it a little less and it clears a little more.
Give yourself an exit timetable
Three months or six. Save an exit fund and start learning one skill that can feed you. With a timetable, the heart stops panicking.
Talk through an anonymous channel
The organisations below take anonymous enquiries and will not ask who you are. They have already gathered the employment, training, financial, legal, counselling, housing and childcare resources.
Repentance is not humiliation, it is settlement
Zhou Boshun in the Jie Yin Zheng Lu fell, repented sincerely, and three years later rose higher than before. Repentance settles yesterday's debt so today can travel light. Saying "I am willing to turn back" to yourself each day has more power than anything.
Way Back
- Taiwan: resources for leaving sex work Run by the Taipei Women's Rescue Foundation. Anonymous enquiries, transition counselling, referrals, and county-by-county resources for work, money, law, counselling, housing and childcare. English, Vietnamese and Thai pages available. +886-2-2555-4308
- Sex Addicts Anonymous A twelve-step fellowship with meetings worldwide and online, for anyone who wants to stop compulsive sexual behaviour.
- Reboot Nation A free, secular recovery community for porn addiction and porn-induced sexual problems, with a forum and videos.
- Someone to talk to If you are in crisis, call your local crisis line. In Taiwan the 1925 line is free and open 24 hours. If the addiction is already harming your life, see a psychiatrist or counsellor. There is no shame in it.