Escort agency
Encyclopedia
Escort agencies are companies that provide escorts
for the agency's clients. The agency typically arranges a meeting between one of its escorts and the client at the customer's house or hotel room (outcall), or at the escort's residence (incall). Some agencies also provide escorts for longer durations, who may stay with the client or travel along on a holiday or business trip. While the escort agency is paid a fee for this booking and dispatch service, the customer must usually negotiate an additional fee for any sex work services.
or sexual services. This fact in turn is well-known to police and the political powers, who, where prostitution is illegal, usually prefer to act against more visible and problematic street prostitution
. This has been criticized as hypocrisy, especially where governments license and tax the escort agencies. There are, however, agencies that do go by these laws and do not facilitate prostitution. Some countries have used a two-pronged attempt of criminalizing street prostitution but permitting or licensing prostitution in brothels or via escort agencies.
It is very common to find that escorts enter the business through referrals from friends who have been in the business. The effectiveness of ads in weeklies
or specialized sites has been questioned by some operators as there are so many that they are diluted. Typically, an escort will interview with an agency.
Some larger escort agencies maintain websites with photo galleries of their escorts. Clients contact agencies by telephone and offer a description of what kind of escorts are sought. The agency will then suggest an escort who might fit that client's need.
The agency collects the client's contact information and calls the escort. Usually, to protect the identity of the escort and ensure effective communication with the client, the agency arranges the appointment. Sometimes it may be up to the escort to contact the client directly to make arrangements for the location and time of an appointment. Generally the escort is also expected to call the agency upon arrival at the location and upon leaving, which ensures the safety of the escort.
should an arrest be made.
Escort services aim to provide an experience that allows the operators to claim that whatever happens between the escort and the client is consensual. Operators tend to avoid discussing specifics over the telephone or via emails to avoid complications with the law.
came into operation on 1 April 2010 and made it a criminal offence to pay for services of a prostitute who is controlled for gain if any third party uses force, threat (whether or not relating to violence) or any other form of coercion.
In effect, the new laws are attempting to combat the trafficking of humans into the sex market; however, the new laws seem to have a catch-all effect on the sex industry within the UK. There is little distinction between someone who willingly and freely chooses to provide services as an escort from someone who is controlled into doing so.
Websites as well are taking the high road like Masajes Ejecutivos and Sexy Chicas Mexicanas who are requiring that all escorts who place ads are independant and present identification as well as sign a waiver either electronically or in person the websites mentioned are refusing to take ads from agencies who are "handling" escorts for hire to avoid situations like the famous Zona Divas case where they were trafficking girls from outside Mexico and keeping them hostage during a time to repay the debt for bringing them to Mexico. The owners of Zona Divas were also implicated in the shooting death of one of the members of congress a few years back and although the website is still in operation the original owners or operators as well as immigration officials and police officials are in prison in Mexico on kidnapping, trafficking in persons, exploitation of minors and the killing of the politician.
to be paid to the agency. Typically, an agency will charge their escorts either a flat fee for each client connection or a percentage of the pre-arranged rate. According to police in Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
, the high fees charged by escort agencies may make escorting less lucrative than street prostitution, especially as agencies often also deduct the license fees directly from the earnings.
Independent escorts may have differing fees depending on the season, or whether the client is a regular or semi-regular customer. Independent escorts may tend to see clients for extended meetings involving dinner or social activities whereas escorts who work through agencies generally tend to be split into two categories: the cheaper the service, especially if mainly based around incall appointments, (client visiting the escort at her accommodation), often only provide sexual services, and agencies that provide mainly outcall appointments, (the escort visiting the client at either their home or hotel), tend to offer services similar to that of independent escorts.
In New York City, escort services charge anywhere from $200 to $1500 or more per hour. The level of rates is usually determined by the attractiveness of the escort and her or his popularity with clients. However, it is not the case that the best looking women or men always command the highest rates. In many cases, the level and intimacy of the service can justify higher rates.
The industry standard for how the rates are dispersed are 50 percent goes to the escort, 40 percent to the agency, 10 percent to the booker (a sales rep of sorts). Given the level of business can vary week to week, it is not uncommon for escorts to be featured by more than one agency provided they are operated by the same ownership group.
(where prostitution was regulated and for the most part legalized in 2003), estimated that of the 6,000 prostitutes surveyed, around 20% worked for escort agencies, while 70% were in massage parlours (Brothel
s) and 10% worked privately. The study apparently did not cover street prostitution.
Call girl
A call girl or female escort is a sex worker who is not visible to the general public; nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency...
for the agency's clients. The agency typically arranges a meeting between one of its escorts and the client at the customer's house or hotel room (outcall), or at the escort's residence (incall). Some agencies also provide escorts for longer durations, who may stay with the client or travel along on a holiday or business trip. While the escort agency is paid a fee for this booking and dispatch service, the customer must usually negotiate an additional fee for any sex work services.
Business model
From a legal perspective, escort agencies claim that they are dispatching these individuals to provide a social or conversational service, since prostitution laws often forbid taking payment for sex or communicating for the purpose of arranging a contract for sexual services. Advertisements for escort agencies often carefully skirt the legal line, and avoid specifically offering prostitutionProstitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
or sexual services. This fact in turn is well-known to police and the political powers, who, where prostitution is illegal, usually prefer to act against more visible and problematic street prostitution
Street prostitution
Street prostitution is a form of prostitution in which a sex worker solicits customers from a public place, most commonly a street, while waiting at street corners or walking alongside a street, but also other public places such as parks, beaches, etc. The street prostitute is often dressed in a...
. This has been criticized as hypocrisy, especially where governments license and tax the escort agencies. There are, however, agencies that do go by these laws and do not facilitate prostitution. Some countries have used a two-pronged attempt of criminalizing street prostitution but permitting or licensing prostitution in brothels or via escort agencies.
Recruiting
Escort agencies often recruit individuals to work as escorts by placing employment advertisements in a magazine or newspaper. Escort agencies typically maintain a list of escorts of different ages and appearances to cater to the varying interests of clients. Some agencies may specifically deal in a certain type of escort. There are male-for-male, female-for-male, and female-for-female escort agencies, as well as a few male-for-female agencies. Agencies commonly specialize in only one sex. Transsexuals are available from some escort agencies.It is very common to find that escorts enter the business through referrals from friends who have been in the business. The effectiveness of ads in weeklies
Weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news publication that is published on newsprint once or twice a week.Such newspapers tend to have smaller circulations than daily newspapers, and are usually based in less-populous communities or small, defined areas within large cities; often, they may cover a...
or specialized sites has been questioned by some operators as there are so many that they are diluted. Typically, an escort will interview with an agency.
Advertising
Once an agency decides to hire a model, she or he will provide photographs or pose for a photographer. These pictures will be posted on the agency's website or circulated among clients to promote business.Some larger escort agencies maintain websites with photo galleries of their escorts. Clients contact agencies by telephone and offer a description of what kind of escorts are sought. The agency will then suggest an escort who might fit that client's need.
The agency collects the client's contact information and calls the escort. Usually, to protect the identity of the escort and ensure effective communication with the client, the agency arranges the appointment. Sometimes it may be up to the escort to contact the client directly to make arrangements for the location and time of an appointment. Generally the escort is also expected to call the agency upon arrival at the location and upon leaving, which ensures the safety of the escort.
Legal considerations
The arm's length relationship between the escort and the escort agency is designed to protect the escort agency (to some degree) from prosecution for breaking laws against prostitution. If the employee is solely responsible for arranging any illegal prostitution-oriented activities, the agency can maintain plausible deniabilityPlausible deniability
Plausible deniability is, at root, credible ability to deny a fact or allegation, or to deny previous knowledge of a fact. The term most often refers to the denial of blame in chains of command, where upper rungs quarantine the blame to the lower rungs, and the lower rungs are often inaccessible,...
should an arrest be made.
Escort services aim to provide an experience that allows the operators to claim that whatever happens between the escort and the client is consensual. Operators tend to avoid discussing specifics over the telephone or via emails to avoid complications with the law.
United Kingdom
In 2009 the laws in the United Kingdom (UK) changed in relation to escort agencies and prostitution. The Policing and Crime Act 2009Policing and Crime Act 2009
The Policing and Crime Act 2009 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act makes provision about police reform, prostitutes, sex offenders, sex establishments and certain other premises...
came into operation on 1 April 2010 and made it a criminal offence to pay for services of a prostitute who is controlled for gain if any third party uses force, threat (whether or not relating to violence) or any other form of coercion.
In effect, the new laws are attempting to combat the trafficking of humans into the sex market; however, the new laws seem to have a catch-all effect on the sex industry within the UK. There is little distinction between someone who willingly and freely chooses to provide services as an escort from someone who is controlled into doing so.
Mexico
in 2010 Mexico Legislators added a law similar to that of the UK called the Anti Trafficking in Persons Act (rough translation) which makes it a crime to offer the sexual services of another person against their will. The law is still broadly interpreted and has many websites who offered the services of Escorts running for cover and even newspapers like El Universal stopped taking classified ads for Escorts or "Executive Massages" because of the law which also goes after anyone promoting the trafficking of persons. The Legislator who is spearheading the campaign here has filed a lawsuit against the newspaper REFORMA because they have not stopped taking the classified ads for these services but have instead put in place a mandatory presentation of official identification of the person placing the ad and the signing of a waiver stating that they are placing the ad on their own behalf and releasing the newspaper from anything that may come from the services offered.Websites as well are taking the high road like Masajes Ejecutivos and Sexy Chicas Mexicanas who are requiring that all escorts who place ads are independant and present identification as well as sign a waiver either electronically or in person the websites mentioned are refusing to take ads from agencies who are "handling" escorts for hire to avoid situations like the famous Zona Divas case where they were trafficking girls from outside Mexico and keeping them hostage during a time to repay the debt for bringing them to Mexico. The owners of Zona Divas were also implicated in the shooting death of one of the members of congress a few years back and although the website is still in operation the original owners or operators as well as immigration officials and police officials are in prison in Mexico on kidnapping, trafficking in persons, exploitation of minors and the killing of the politician.
Financial considerations
The amount of money that is made by an escort varies with many factors, such as sexual attractiveness, competition from legal and illegal sources, and the commissionsCommission (remuneration)
The payment of commission as remuneration for services rendered or products sold is a common way to reward sales people. Payments often will be calculated on the basis of a percentage of the goods sold...
to be paid to the agency. Typically, an agency will charge their escorts either a flat fee for each client connection or a percentage of the pre-arranged rate. According to police in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the high fees charged by escort agencies may make escorting less lucrative than street prostitution, especially as agencies often also deduct the license fees directly from the earnings.
Independent escorts may have differing fees depending on the season, or whether the client is a regular or semi-regular customer. Independent escorts may tend to see clients for extended meetings involving dinner or social activities whereas escorts who work through agencies generally tend to be split into two categories: the cheaper the service, especially if mainly based around incall appointments, (client visiting the escort at her accommodation), often only provide sexual services, and agencies that provide mainly outcall appointments, (the escort visiting the client at either their home or hotel), tend to offer services similar to that of independent escorts.
In New York City, escort services charge anywhere from $200 to $1500 or more per hour. The level of rates is usually determined by the attractiveness of the escort and her or his popularity with clients. However, it is not the case that the best looking women or men always command the highest rates. In many cases, the level and intimacy of the service can justify higher rates.
The industry standard for how the rates are dispersed are 50 percent goes to the escort, 40 percent to the agency, 10 percent to the booker (a sales rep of sorts). Given the level of business can vary week to week, it is not uncommon for escorts to be featured by more than one agency provided they are operated by the same ownership group.
Statistics
A 2005 government survey in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(where prostitution was regulated and for the most part legalized in 2003), estimated that of the 6,000 prostitutes surveyed, around 20% worked for escort agencies, while 70% were in massage parlours (Brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s) and 10% worked privately. The study apparently did not cover street prostitution.
See also
- Call girlCall girlA call girl or female escort is a sex worker who is not visible to the general public; nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency...
- ProstitutionProstitutionProstitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
- Regulated prostitution
- Street prostitutionStreet prostitutionStreet prostitution is a form of prostitution in which a sex worker solicits customers from a public place, most commonly a street, while waiting at street corners or walking alongside a street, but also other public places such as parks, beaches, etc. The street prostitute is often dressed in a...
- Advance-fee fraud