Sheer

Final Note

One fine day in June 2017, I was randomly thinking about prostitutes - how they live, why they're where they are, how people view them, etc.

Very random, but that's how Sheer happened.

And if you know anything about me, you'll know that I went straight to a documentary about prostitutes (females, males, and transgenders) - and a lot of them are forced into it due to being isolated by domestic violence, abuse, sexuality and gender issues, and so on.

They are people too and they need to survive.

Some people escape from abusive situations with no support from family/friends, and they may not have a strong educational or professional background to help them to utilize a different path. They may have children to take care of, maybe those children have illnesses that require treatment, maybe those children need tuition to go to school - and they don't want their children to go through the same experiences as them, so they may be forced to resort to prostitution to make a living.

Some people receive no support from family/friends due to sexuality and gender issues. I know there are conflicting opinions to this matter, but at the core of the issue, they are human too. I cannot imagine being so isolated and hated by family and society to the point where you are absolutely alone. Again, they may resort to prostitution because its either that or suicide.

Some people are sold off into sex trafficking at a young age and they simply do not know anything else. This lifestyle is embedded into their minds and they may not be aware that there is life beyond that.

It's a sad reality for many people all over the world.

Don't get me wrong, there are a percentage of people who go into prostitution out of their own choice, but I'm referring to the people who are unwillingly part of it based on their situation.

Did it really have to come to this?

Religious, personal, and political views aside - are we that inhumane to allow people to live and let live?

We tell people to fight against violence and stand up for themselves, but once they do, we believe they are doing it for attention.

We tell people to get out of abusive relationships and seek help, but once they do, we leave them to fend for themselves.

We tell sexual abuse/rape survivors that there's hope and life beyond their pain, but we are not willing to help.

And then, we ostracize them and here begins the domino effect.

Prostitution and sex trafficking is widely believed to be predominate in South Asia, but there are so many incidences in USA, UK, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Russia, China, Nigeria, and pretty much everywhere else in the world. Just because it isn't being reported, doesn't mean it's not happening.

There are shelters out there that allow survivors to seek refuge until they are able to be on their own again, and some of them do provide the same services as the shelter in the story.

Sheer is a very utopic and idealized story. It's a representation of what I'd like to see, but I can only hope that every one of these survivors has someone in their lives to guide them. Some people never get that chance.

Anyway, I guess the whole point of the story is to not view prostitutes or sex slaves as disgusting or wicked. They all have a backstory that we're unaware of. If not through actions, maybe try to think of them in a kinder light.

Anyhoo, thanks for reading this rant. Also, thank you for taking the time to read, vote, and comment on the story. I hoped you liked it :)

Take care! :)) x