Mokum Magazine Amsterdam column High Class Escort

Mokum Magazine is the largest and free entertainment magazine of Amsterdam. With a circulation of 20.000 it's available on more than 1000 locations throughout all districts of Amsterdam and all cinema's. From 2016, owner Marike has been writing a (three) monthly column in Mokum Magazine: Escort Stories. The original article was published in Dutch but an English translation can be found below.

December 2017: Escort Image

Marike van der Velden is owner of Society Service, the largest high class escortbureau of The Netherlands and author of book Escort Bijbel. Exclusively for Mokum Magazine she offers a revealing glimpse into the premier league of seduction.

Lately, sexwork has been in the media a lot. The amusing RTL4 series Lady of Pleasure, the informative BNNVARA show Filemon in the Red Light District and of course the countless articles on prostitution with the new coalition agreement, and how it is suppose to more effective against human trafficking. What stands out, is the fact that only two sides are often shown: on the one hand the glamorous high class escort, who entertains rich businessmen next to her studies and is surrounded by a world of luxury. On the other hand the doom and gloom of the exploited sexworker, who is forced to see one dirty disrespectful client after an other. 

It is seldom as black-and-white as this. Between these two extremes, there is a huge amount of sexworkers who practice their job with full understanding and great pleasure. Yes, for the money of course, but that also goes for my accountant, the lady who settles my groceries and the tax inspector who audits me. Eventually we all work for the money and find a job that we enjoy and fits our lifestyle. 

The escorts of Society Service are often asked if people around them know about their work as a high class escort. Usually the escort chooses to share this with only a few close friends. Some escorts are completely open about their work, others keep it completely a secret. The most important not to be open about the work she does with such great pleasure, is the image of working as an escort. People often automatically think about the black-and-white scenarios portraid in the media, and the escort does not want to be associated with those. So if anybody ever shares with you they are working as a sexworker, do him or her a great pleasure and don't judge immediately. Ask them about their motivation and experiences and what it is really like, before passing judgement.