Clearing Up Loose Ends
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| Nadine | |
Recently I wrote about the woman, Kerry Ann Hendriks,
whose children died in a fire... You remember, she left her children at home to go to work? She was an exotic dancer, which we also call a go go dancer. She was actually onstage at the Gemini Club (a popular strip joint here) when she learned of her children's demise.
Earlier I had said that I comiserated with her, although the sentiments of those who commented on my blog entry were heavily against her. Since that time, I have had the opportunity to read the comments of the children's father. He stated that he lived in the country. He wasn't working and as such could not support his children at the time, although he did support them whenever he was working. Because he was not supporting the children, the baby's mother seems to have put him out.
In other reports, I read that she had just started her job, and she had apparently had a falling out with her mother, so she really had no one to leave the children with, and she had to work or risk having no money to buy food for them. She seemed to have been between a rock and a hard place...
We have also heard that the police released her without charging her.
I have often wondered what are the factors in Jamaica that drive a woman into the sex industry. I believe that there are some exotic dancers who will only dance, but I also believe that there are large numbers who actually sell their bodies as well, that is why I say the sex industry.
Well, I was given a glimpse into the story of one of these women today. Actually, she is a neighbour to the woman mentioned above. Her name is Nadine. There was an article in the Jamaica Observer today giving her story. She has been in the industry for awhile, and she earns enough to pay someone to stay with her child while she works, and to send the child to school in a taxi while she sleeps after work. The other woman was just starting out in the field, and so had no money.
But what were the factors driving her into the industry. She was abandoned by her mother at three. She lived with her father for a time, but she was taken away from him because he was physically abusing her. Her aunt in New York paid a woman to take care of her, but apparently money was really tight; the woman could not afford to send her to school more than one time in a month! Sometimes she only attended school one time for the entire year! Being illiterate, her options were not at all many or varied.
She tried her hand at domestic work, but failed abysmally at that. Her employer turned her on to the exotic dancing because he "thought she'd do better at that.". It is a pretty sad story.
She is not doing so badly now, apparently. Possibly, if she really works at it, she might be one of the few who escape from this kind of lifestyle. If you want to know more, read the article, it makes quite interesting reading...
Remember I told you also about the robbery in the bank's parking lot. At the time, I told you that a co-worker of mine assisted the man who had been stabbed and robbed to get to a car to go to hospital. She mentioned that she had doubts that he was going to make it based upon the amount of blood loss she witnessed. Well, she was right. I hear that the man died a couple of days after. The bank has since changed their security company, which I think was a bit harsh, because I really don't see how they could have prevented this particular murder / robbery... I guess thats how the cookie crumbles though...
Posted by Mad Bull at February 03, 2003 08:29 PM
Comments
Quite a long post for 'clearing up loose ends'. Indeed, life is tough, we just have to do our best to fight it in order to keep ahead. With respect to the dancers and the sex industry, I feel that many of them could perhaps get domestic work, but would not be happy with the financial rewards. Hence, because they get better pay for dancing and other favours, they turn to this. Actually, it boils down to socioeconomics which you have aluded to quite well. Also, there may be an element of poor self esteem and a lack of good role models in these women.
There are those who may jump to cast a negative eye on this way of making a living and criticize these women for their work, and it is perhaps easy to do so if you have never been faced with similar life situations. I am not justifying it, but I am not knocking them for doing it either. I only hope they practice safe sex.
The bank was damn stupid for changing the security company. What is to stop the same thing from happening again?
Posted by: Dr. D. on February 3, 2003 10:21 PM
Okay I'll readily admit, I've considered getting nipple's pierced.......but has anyone stated and if not "I NEED AN EPIADERAL".......umm painful issues......I do have a naval piercing....and LOVE IT as do other's 
but I'm still trying to see via these sites where I differ from these woman??????????? I'm 36, mother of two, out of my belly, no stretch marks and still looking for a boob lift and ass lift.....maybe after getting those I'll post pic's of myself as others have done. 
but hey I am woman hear me ROAR and if you don't want to hear me roar some want too 
Posted by: Jamie on February 4, 2003 12:51 AM
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Quite a long post for 'clearing up loose ends'. Indeed, life is tough, we just have to do our best to fight it in order to keep ahead. With respect to the dancers and the sex industry, I feel that many of them could perhaps get domestic work, but would not be happy with the financial rewards. Hence, because they get better pay for dancing and other favours, they turn to this. Actually, it boils down to socioeconomics which you have aluded to quite well. Also, there may be an element of poor self esteem and a lack of good role models in these women.
There are those who may jump to cast a negative eye on this way of making a living and criticize these women for their work, and it is perhaps easy to do so if you have never been faced with similar life situations. I am not justifying it, but I am not knocking them for doing it either. I only hope they practice safe sex.
The bank was damn stupid for changing the security company. What is to stop the same thing from happening again?
Posted by: Dr. D. on February 3, 2003 10:21 PM