When women leave prostitution, a slow healing process begins. For us, who have been spared the experiences of prostitutes, it is difficult to imagine the extent of the consequences. We were able to accompany many women on their way out and would like to pass on some of our observations here – supplemented by the knowledge of competent partners. What are the actual consequences of prostitution?
What are we talking about when we talk about prostitution?
When we talk about prostitution here, we are not talking about the women who call themselves sex workers and occasionally serve a client of their own choosing. We are talking about the kind of prostitution that is visible in large brothels, brothels, apartments, street prostitution and in mobile homes: women who have to work every day, who have no alternatives in life, who have to hand over their money to pimps or others. Prostitution that is characterized by misery and coercion. Prostitution that is characterized by loverboys. Prostitution that is accepted as having no alternative due to one’s own abusive life experiences.
The above-mentioned consequences certainly refer to prostitution that would not always legally fall under forced prostitution. In the context of (legally defined) forced prostitution, further consequences could be mentioned.
One Consequence of Prostitution: FEAR
Fear is a constant and threatening companion during the exit process. Women who have experienced violence and exploitation often suffer from long-term anxiety.
The fear of being found by their pimp never goes away. Every train ride brings the fear that the pimp could be waiting at the next station.
Another fear is that something might happen to their family. Some pimps use threats against the family as a strategy, warning that they will harm loved ones if the woman ever tries to leave. This makes the exit process terrifying, as it feels like it might come at the cost of those they care about.
Additionally, there is a deep fear of people seeing through the mask and labeling them as a “prostitute.” In everyday situations, the fear of others finding out about their past is ever-present. The shame of what they have experienced turns into the fear of being judged and excluded.
One Consequence of Prostitution: ILLNESS
The health condition of many women in prostitution is devastating. The vast majority have no health insurance. Despite illness, they continue to work daily, which leads to long-term consequences.
Extreme and constant stress takes a toll on the body, resulting in premature aging, chronic stomach pain, gastritis, and infections. Other common health issues include damaged gut flora, dental and jaw diseases, skin conditions, widespread pain (especially in the lower abdomen and hip area), and irreversible pelvic floor damage (leading to problems with urination and bowel movements).
Long-term effects include sleep disorders, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), often accompanied by depression, addiction, and eating disorders.
Source: Based on our own experience supporting women leaving prostitution, supplemented by reports from gynecologists on trauma-and-prostitution.eu and prostitutionresearch.com.
One Consequence of Prostitution: ADDICTION
Addictions and compulsive behaviors are an everyday reality in prostitution. A study by the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs (2004) found that 88% of women in prostitution regularly used substances such as painkillers, psychotropic drugs, or illegal drugs.
Some women enter prostitution due to pre-existing drug addiction, needing money to finance their habit. However, it is far more common that addiction develops as a result of prostitution. Women use alcohol and drugs to numb themselves against the violence and humiliation they experience on the street or in brothels. Drugs help suppress emotional pain, stimulants provide an artificial high and enable them to stay awake for days to continue working. Some pimps deliberately give “their women” drugs, keeping them awake for long periods and using their addiction as a method of control. Other common side effects include eating disorders and compulsive behaviors such as excessive washing.
During the exit process, addiction is a major challenge. Without health insurance, detox treatment is rarely available in German clinics. Even those who manage to quit drugs face the overwhelming task of confronting painful emotional wounds in therapy—without falling back into addiction as a coping mechanism.
One Consequence of Prostitution: A DESTROYED IDENTITY
What does prostitution do to a person’s identity?
When we ask women in the exit process about their future dreams, we often receive only a shrug—”I don’t know.” When we ask about their strengths or interests—”I don’t know.” Many find it difficult to make decisions or express personal desires, and that is no surprise.
In prostitution, the priority is to have no personal desires at all. The needs of the buyers always come first. The only way to endure this is to suppress one’s own wishes completely. Not only do the buyers dictate daily life, but pimps also control every thought and action. When even minor disobedience is met with violence, and when pimps use manipulation as a tool of control, the entire focus shifts to pleasing the abuser to avoid further punishment.
There is no room for personal thoughts when every thought revolves around the perpetrators.
This is reinforced by feelings of worthlessness, shame, and the overwhelming belief that one is fundamentally wrong. In our work with survivors, we see time and time again that even small interpersonal misunderstandings lead them to immediately assume: It’s my fault. I’m bad. I’m wrong. These are the thoughts that have been ingrained in them by their abusers over time. It takes great effort and patience to unlearn these thoughts and rebuild a healthy sense of identity.
One Consequence of Prostitution: TRAUMA
The vast majority of women in prostitution develop severe and complex trauma that affects them for years.
A staggering 68% of women in prostitution develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—a rate comparable to that of war veterans and torture survivors (Melissa Farley, 2003). Other studies show that the risk of developing PTSD in prostitution is actually higher than in war.
What does it mean to live with PTSD?
The body is in a constant state of either hyperarousal (panic attacks) or hypoarousal (dissociation). Everyday situations—certain words, sounds, or smells—can trigger painful memories, causing the person to relive their traumatic experiences.
For example, a simple smell in a supermarket might trigger a flashback so intense that the person is unable to continue shopping. Some collapse and become unresponsive until the episode passes. Others experience dissociation—where the body is present, but the mind disconnects completely. This leads to memory gaps and a feeling of losing control over one’s life.
These severe trauma effects can last for years and require specialized therapy and a supportive, trauma-informed environment.
More information: www.trauma-and-prostitution.eu | www.prostitutionresearch.com
One Consequence of Prostitution: LOSS
For many women, leaving prostitution feels like losing everything.
By their mid-30s or 40s, others have built lives for themselves. But women who entered prostitution as minors or in their early 20s often find themselves with nothing when they leave.
No social network outside of the sex industry.
No home, no safe place to return to.
No savings—often significant debt instead.
No education or vocational training.
No or very limited contact with family or children.
No energy left. No dreams.
Some women arrive at our shelters with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Many have lost their children due to prostitution. Most suffer from severe, long-term health issues. Almost all have lost faith in their own worth.
As they process their experiences, the overwhelming theme of loss emerges.
Starting over from scratch requires enormous strength, patience, and time. Leaving prostitution is not an instant fix—it is the beginning of a long and difficult journey.
At our shelters, we witness firsthand how incredibly hard this process is. That is why we fight for an end to the exploitative system of prostitution—so that it no longer destroys the lives of thousands of women every single day.
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