Paid For: My Journey Through Prostitution

A hard read about a hard, unimaginable lifestyle of prostitution. Rachel Moran holds nothing back when she delves into her past as a prostituted woman in Dublin. Paid For is far more than a memoir though, it's an in depth, scholarly look at the history of prostitution, implications of working the sex trade and so much more. It's narrative non-fiction at its best and Rachel Moran has the authority and no-nonsense attitude to tackle it head on. She easily breaks down myths and rumors that surround the sex industry and pulls from research to help back up her personal experiences. I've read other prostitution memoirs and books written by sex works, but this one really got to me. It may not be an easy read, but I'd very much recommend it!

A strong indictment of prostitution, interwoven with the author's personal experiences as a prostituted child, then woman. Especially powerful is Moran's discussion of the alienation she felt both as a child and as a prostitute, and how this kept her trapped in prostitution. She also offers an excellent explanation of dissociation and its relationship to sexual trauma. Despite her compelling story, the narrative occasionally felt rambly, and I could have done without the repeated exaltation of heterosexual relating in the last few chapters. Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in a critique of prostitution by a woman who lived it first-hand. I will probably reread the nonfiction, non-memoir [b:Not a Choice, Not a show more Job|16292060|Not a Choice, Not a Job Exposing the Myths about Prostitution and the Global Sex Trade|Janice G. Raymond|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1421140129s/16292060.jpg|22419060] to better place Ireland's sex industry in the global picture. show less

This is not a well written book. But the very problems with the writing style show how it has been pulled out of her depths. Very moving and thought provoking.