Young Girls and Nudie Bar Dreams
I was waiting for a friend in the lobby of his building recently, and there were several young girls, between the ages of 14 and 17, discussing their goals for the future. As someone who takes a particular interest in the youth, I began to focus on what each of them was saying. The conversation was based on how they planned to drop out of high school, or skip college altogether, and get jobs working as strippers in nudie bars. I could not help but notice how attractive, sexy and physically developed they were for young girls, and as the conversation went on, it was clear to me that they intended to take full advantage of their “assets”.
One of them spoke of how her friend started stripping two years ago, at the age of 18, and now has enough money to get an apartment and a brand new car. Another spoke about how stripping got one of her friends a part in a rap star’s music video. “Candy”, one of the girls who had been stripping for at least a year, talked about how she can feed and clothe her son without worrying if the father will send child support next month.
As the little doe-eyed girls listened to these testimonials, I could see them drifting off into that fantasy world of money, fame, power and sex. I made an attempt to share my knowledge of the industry with them, but they were more interested in acquiring lavish jewelry, bouncing their breasts, and being able to persuade rich men to take them on expensive trips in exchange for sex. Nice way for a young girl to grow up, huh?
I tend to speak from experience when I write, so I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve dated a few strippers in my lifetime. Oh come on folks. Strippers need love too! This gave me an opportunity to view the world of the stripper in a totally different way, and many of the glamour tales that are told are nothing more than a distortion of the facts. One fact is that many of the girls get hooked on cocaine or some other hard drug. In most cases, those who fall prey are the younger, inexperienced girls who come in with dreams of making a lot of money. While many can amass a great deal of money in a short period of time, it’s only a matter of time before the money is snorted away or spent on a myriad of controlled substances.
The second fact is that no club owner wants to be stuck with a strung out stripper. That can cost them their livelihood, and they run the risk of being busted if drugs are being sold in the club. Now, the stripper becomes a major liability and she’s forced into the streets. With no higher-level education, skill or trade, they are now forced to turn to prostitution as a means to survive. Soon, they have to come to grips with the fact that if the mean street doesn’t kill them, some sick and psychotic “trick” might take the honor.
The third fact is that the owners and customers sexually and physically abuse many of the young girls, and women, who work the strip clubs. Those club bouncers are there for a reason, right? In cases where the abuser is the club owner, the dancers have no place to go to file their complaints. Many are fearful that their drug use will be exposed by the owner, or they feel that the law enforcement officials will not take their case seriously simply because they’re strippers. Many of the girls are illegal aliens, who can’t look for a regular job, and they end up with no way out and no one to turn to if harmed.
These are just a few examples of the horrors that take place. The women I dated were exceptions to the rule because they had a positive plan. They didn’t focus on diamonds, cars, “putting out”, and acquiring expensive homes. The money was put toward college or some school of professional training, such as nursing or hotel management. Also, there was a cut-off period, after three years, to stop dancing regardless of the money. Drugs were not an option! The age factor played a crucial role as well because none of them started under the age of 24.
While this article focuses on young girls who plan to enter into the industry, there are many underage girls currently working in these places. They are drawn in by the illusion of money, power and false promises. I’m not attacking a woman’s right to choose this line of work. If she does the research, and is mature enough to handle it, then more power to her. What angers me is the fact that babies are trying to make a living out of it for all the wrong reasons. This is a dangerous world, and the stakes are just as high as some of the strippers. If you’re young daughter is suddenly working nights, driving a Lexus within a year, and has a glazed look in her eyes, you know what’s up. If this is hard for you to swallow, just take a look at some of the classified ads that say “Dancers Wanted” in the major dailies. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
