Abusive clients push social escort to almost kill herself

When she was introduced to the world of social escorts, she thought it was a quick and easy way to make money and support herself.

Little did Ashley Chan (not her real name) expect that a few years in, she would be overwhelmed by the burden of juggling her everyday life and her job as a sex worker. This eventually led to her attempting suicide at age 23.

Ms Chan, now 24, told The New Paper: "People who want to enter sex work, or think that it is easy money, they need a wake-up call. I thought that if I share my experiences, it might actually help them rethink entering the industry."

Memoir

She was speaking about her recently published memoir, Scarlet Harlot: My Double Life, co-authored by veteran pop-culture writer Gerrie Lim. The book is available at leading bookstores and Epigram Books.

Through the book, the author, who is still an escort, hopes to shed light on the inside world of Singapore's escort scene and the turmoil that comes with the work.

Ms Chan, who became a social escort when she was a 19-year-old student, said she entered the industry to finance her education.

In the book, she describes herself as a "mid-tier" social escort who provides sexual services to her clients, most of whom are based in Singapore.

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But the emotional turmoil soon took a toll. She described how some of her clients would share their worries and troubles with her.

"Basically, I'm not just acting as an escort, I'm also acting as a part-time psychiatrist. It was difficult," she said.

Her social life soon suffered when she had to cancel appointments with friends to meet clients, some of whom were emotionally abusive.

"They would basically degrade you, they will try to break you down as a person."

After a panic attack last year, Ms Chan locked herself in her room, swallowed sleeping pills, and ended up getting her stomach pumped. She was hospitalised for three days.

Ms Chan said she intends to leave the industry next year, once she graduates from university where she is pursing a business-related degree.

"Ultimately, this is an Asian society. If you still want to pursue the Singaporean dream of having a stable job, a family, and a flat, you will need to find your way back to the normal life."

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.