My story
At her age of early twenties she has been typical psychologist student. She was serving her practice in a hospital and working on a project on neuroscience. That all was changed on a rainy night – bottle of wine, procrastination over an exam and newspaper interview with the owner of local brothel venue. His idea that the modern pimp should not be a slimy guy with golden rings and chains but rather well educated and mannered woman who can understand both the clients and the girls and can manage the whole place with old fashioned grace sparkled Catherine´s interest. She wrote a letter to the company that she is the woman they are looking for. With no manager experience she stunned them with her self-confidence but also with the interest to explore dark world of human pleasure. And so they gave her the chance. She took it and never gave it back.
In retrospect, she sees herself as born to be a madame—the female version of a pimp. “Few know that the concept of a male pimp is relatively new. From ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the Middle Ages and the 18th century, brothels were always owned and run by women. Call me a traditionalist—I’m just restoring the old order: women in charge.”
While studying psychology, she realized Western society treats sexuality as a scientific object—quantifying partners, timing sex, and tracking frequency to define ‘normal.’ But she sees its limits. To her, sexuality is more art than science—the art of pleasure.
Seeing sexuality as an art form rather than a question of identity is far more interesting to Catherine. “When you treat sex as an art, it becomes a playful, stress-free act—something that can be a hobby, but also a business. Just as people can sell their skills as a great chef, actor, football player, or psychotherapist, why not as a great prostitute? Sex is undoubtedly a magical experience, but in Western culture, we sometimes take it too seriously. Let’s make it fun, artistic, and yes—sometimes a business. There’s nothing wrong with someone choosing to sell their sexual skills.”
Despite her involvement in sex business she never abandoned the academic field. Currently she is distant PhD student in London in psychology. In her academic career she is using her managers experience as she is focusing on sex-work environment in her studies.
Throughout the years Catherine has been constantly attacked by various religious people as well as some radical feminists who apply that she is collaborating with patriarchal system that abuses women. Nothing could be far from truth. “It’s actually funny because I would easily identify myself as liberal feminist. But I believe that telling to women what they should or shouldn’t to do with their own bodies and sexuality is actually the most misogyny and patriarchal pattern. If you think sexuality is too intimate and it should be done only within the relationship of two people in love, its ok. But don’t force your perspective to other people who might see and treat their sexuality differently.
Anybody can decide what he or she wants to do with her/his body. If somebody decides to commercialize her or his sexuality, lets respect his or her decision. It’s quite funny because sometimes I ask people – what is actually wrong if somebody sell her/his sexual services. And people are not able to bring any argument. Sex is the only legal human activity that is problematic when is done commercially. People can sell even the most absurd skills and activities and its ok – you can read peoples future by a hand for money, you can clean their houses, you can listen to their problems or traumas for money, you can analyse their dreams… But when it comes to sex, everybody seems to be so angry about it. I always say – just don’t take too serious. It’s just a sex. It’s beautiful, it’s pleasure, but it’s just sex.”
For many years Catherine is a promoter for legalization of sex business. Luckily she lives and work in a country where prostitution is legal. So she can experience the benefits of legal sex work system. “The prohibition never bring anything good. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about alcohol, cigarettes or prostitution. Or even MMA fights. I remember times when MMA was illegal underground thing. The fighters were fighting in horrible conditions – some underground cellar rooms, no medical care, no insurance, very limited rules. And look at now how UFC and other organizations made that sport relatively safe. The prostitution is the same – if you keep it illegal you actually force the women to do dangerous decisions. They have no other choice than cooperate with people with criminal background. Or to work privately on their own using their own apartments with no security help etc.”
“As in any kind of business the competition is what moves the things forward and what actually increase the working conditions for sex workers. What happens if you or anybody else will build a new brothel next to ours? You will offer better room rent prizes for girls, you will create more luxury place, you bring better and more solvent clients for them, you will make better marketing for them. What happens? Surprise surprise, I would have to adapt our club – to stay competitive I would have to improve our services for the girls to keep them in our club. So who will benefit from that situation? Of course the sex workers. Easy as that. Business is business. With sex our without.”