Gwyneth Montenegro, 39, became an escort at just 21 years old after a horrific gang rape that completely changed the course of her life.
The former devout christian spent 12 years in the industry – her $1,000-an-hour job as an elite escort affording her designer clothes, expensive cars and first class trips around the world.
But it is this ‘glamorous’ portrayal of the sex industry that Ms Montenegro, from Melbourne, has taken serious issue with after revealing that girls as young as 12 have approached her for advice on becoming an escort.
Horrified by the ever-increasing amount of women and girls contacting her after hearing stories about the ‘high-flying’ career path, Ms Montenegro has shed light on the not-so-glamorous side of the industry and called for disclaimers on ‘stories involving high end escorts’.
Gwyneth Montenegro, 39, became an escort at just 21 years old after a horrific gang rape that completely changed the course of her life
‘It seems that with increasing frequency I find myself reading feature articles about how an “elite” escort has earned $1,000 per hour, $2,000 per hour or even up to $5,000 per hour selling her body for sex,’ Ms Montenegro told Daily Mail Australia.
‘These articles usually go on to expand upon their glamourous lives, the huge money they make, the joys of travelling the world and their outlandish sex lives.
‘I’ve had girls as young as twelve, while they are still at school, reach out to me and ask for advice on how to become an elite escort. Twelve! Still in school, planning a life of prostitution as soon as they reach legal age.
‘What parent wants their twelve-year-old daughter pondering such a thing? When and how did this become legitimate?’
The former devout christian spent 12 years in the industry – her $1,000-an-hour job as an elite escort affording her designer clothes, expensive cars and first class trips around the world
Ms Montenegro said that the challenge is that these impressionable girls are reading articles about these lifestyles and are setting out to replicate it.
‘Selling their body for sex seems a fair trade-off for a lifestyle of privilege. The problem is that the illusion shown within the media rarely matches the reality of working within prostitution,’ she said.
Ms Montenegro said that while is possible to make ‘enormous’ money within prostitution, it is a ‘trade off’.
‘It takes a very strong minded person to do it and leave the industry unaffected. You are working in the underbelly of society and you are frequently doing so in an unsafe environment,’ Ms Montenegro said.
‘Then you have the added societal stigma – “you’re a w***e, that’s all you’ll ever be good for, a play thing for men”. I’d never felt so removed from society than when I was a practicing escort.’
But it is this ‘glamorous’ portrayal of the sex industry that Ms Montenegro has taken serious issue with after revealing that girls as young as 12 have approached her for advice on becoming an escort
‘Those who make it to the “elite” level are very much in the minority. What you don’t read in print is that an “elite” escort is not trading at that level entirely because she’s stunningly beautiful.
‘Sure, looks are a huge part of it, but you don’t make that kind of money on looks alone. Frequently, you make that kind of money by offering services that regular escorts won’t offer. Effectively “elite” or “high class” often means willing to push the boundaries, to consider things that much of society would deem unsafe.’
Ms Montenegro traded at the elite end of the industry ‘for a while’ and charged $1,000 an hour, sometimes more.
‘I was young and I was foolish. Here I was thinking I was living an empowered life. I was taking risks with my health. I was taking risks with my safety. I was taking risks with my future. And this is exactly what those young girls fantasising about being an elite escort are setting themselves up for. They have absolutely no idea,’ she said.
‘I’ve granted sexual services to men for money. I’ve flown as a commercial pilot (left). I know which made me feel more empowered and it certainly wasn’t prostitution,’ she said
Ms Montenegro said that while the money was ’empowering’, she personally didn’t feel as though her career as an escort was.
‘I’ve granted sexual services to men for money. I’ve flown as a commercial pilot. I know which made me feel more empowered and it certainly wasn’t prostitution,’ she said.
‘Ultimately, who cares if you perceive it as lucrative, liberating and empowering. Most of the time you are providing sexual services to other people’s husbands. If you’ve got the slightest hint of a conscience, you aren’t going to be feeling too good about that.
‘For me, the only thing I found empowering about the trade was the money, and even then I spent a huge amount of money trying to hide what I felt about myself.’
Prior to her work as an Intimacy Behaviourist, Ms Montenegro worked in both legalised brothels and in the private market.
Ms Montenegro says she absolutely believes the sex industry has a right to exist and should be legalised, taxed and regulated – but simply stresses that is not for everyone
‘All are rigorous. That’s why I shared my numbers. 10,091 men. I wanted my story to be a reality check. You don’t make the big dollars by simply dressing in your nicest clothes, climbing into bed and sleeping with a handful of men,’ Ms Montenegro said.
‘To operate as a successful “high end” or “elite” escort you’ll frequently find yourself in a position in which you’ll need to consider offering services and taking risks that a legalised brothel would undoubtedly shun.
‘Having the looks helps, but it’s certainly not everything. There’s girls at half of the price of “the elite” who are model material, the difference is more than skin deep.
‘Sure, you can earn the big bucks but, at what price? What are you prepared to sacrifice?’
Ms Montenegro says she absolutely believes the sex industry has a right to exist and should be legalised, taxed and regulated – but simply stresses that is not for everyone.
‘It has its fair share of casualties. It’s tough, it’s competitive and since you tend to operate in the underbelly of society it can be very isolating and lonely. This leaves a working prostitute vulnerable on many levels,’ she said.
Ms Montenegro is not trying to discourage women from entering the industry. Instead she wants women and girls to understand what they could potentially be signing up for
‘That’s why I wrote The Secret Taboo – The Ultimate Insider’s Guide to Being a Financially Successful Escort. It’s designed to be a reality check. To examine what a prospective entrant to the trade is going to face.
‘It’s not for me to persuade a person whether to enter the trade or not, but if they were to, I want them to go in with their eyes open, make their money, and get out fast.’
Ms Montenegro is not trying to discourage women from entering the industry. Instead she wants women and girls to understand what they could potentially be signing up for.
This is why she has called for the wide use of disclaimers.
‘Generally we can’t talk about issues about mental health or issues that may evoke a mental health issue without a disclaimer below. Society expects that, as a responsible practice,’ she said.
Ms Montenegro wants less focus on how much money a girl can make by selling sex
‘We have similar rules governing how we communicate issues involving the smoking of cigarettes and otherwise.
‘My question is, with that in mind… Why does society consider it okay to promote participation in a trade that is largely dangerous, risks the health of the population and has a reputation for destroying lives?’
Ms Montenegro wants less focus on how much money a girl can make by selling sex.
‘And if there must be, insert a disclaimer that warns of the dangers of pursuing such a lifestyle,’ she said.
‘Surely society would deem it inappropriate that a 12-year-old girl, with the world at her fingertips is contemplating prostituting herself as a more desirable career choice than other mainstream options?
‘And where do these ideas come from? I believe that frequently they come from admiring the lives of high class escorts in various forms of media. And who can blame them – high fashion, money, travel and sex can be alluring.’
She now devotes her time to issues regarding female empowerment and particularly focusing on women achieving their dreams and goals despite adversity
Ms Montenegro first made headlines in 2014 when she revealed her ‘secret past’.
She entered into the industry after a traumatic past which saw her drugged, taken away and gang raped leaving her feeling ‘unworthy’ and ‘unwanted by society’.
She became a fully-licensed commercial pilot at the age of 29 and found a new job doing scenic tours.
But Ms Montenegro fell back into the sex industry once more when she was diagnosed with kidney failure and could no longer get medical approval to keep her licence.
She now devotes her time to issues regarding female empowerment and particularly focusing on women achieving their dreams and goals despite adversity.
She also pioneered the field of Intimacy Behaviorism, is a Master Neuro Linguistic Programming practitioner and developed her own methodologies involving the mind’s influence on intimacy; Intimacy Programming and Intimate Profiling.
Sex industry laws across Australia can be found on Scarlet Alliance.
More information can also be found on the AIC regarding employment practices, health and safety issues and legal frameworks.
SWOP is Australia’s largest and longest established community-based, peer education sex worker organisation focused on HIV, STI and hepatitis C prevention, education and health promotion for sex workers in NSW.