Beautiful post, Amber O'Hara!
I was just directed to a blog post from my twitter acct that was a really refreshing thing to hear from a fellow escort in Australia. It was well written and describes how many of us feel about our clients and our work. Here is a link to her post: http://wanton-acts.blogspot.pt/2016/02/love-within-sex-work.htm
And here was my comment back:
Beautiful post! I agree wholeheartedly.
I will also add that many of us who work in countries which are less enlightened are also feeling this way for our clients. I adore mine, and have since I began many years ago. And many of my friends feel the same way. We build true, long-term relationships that go pretty deeply without impacting negatively on either party's lives.
But I think many, many more would feel this way if we were, indeed, decrminalized. We would have that freedom to not worry that you described.
But I do think this client connection happens with fewer of us in less enlightened places; mostly the more privileged among us- because the further you are from privileged in places like ours, the more susceptible you are to the wrath of the law.
And decriminalization would open us all to be able to live in our element at this work without the psychological overhead costs of impending and persistent persecution. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Amnesty's decision to support decrim will be echoed by all nations eventually. :)