I hadn’t been following this case closely until a friend mentioned recently that she had been found hanging in her mother’s shed. My ears perked up and off I went to read more. From everything written, along with my familiarity with the cases of other madams who faced prosecution, none of this sits right with me. To accept her untimely death as a clear-cut, open-shut suicide case is quite naive, especially considering the clientèle she catered to. I have to say, it’s quite disheartening to read how many are labeling those that wish to delve deeper “conspiracy theorists,” as if to say that our government is somehow above this sort of scandalous cover-up despite a history richly laden with corrupt political action of just this nature.
A person just has to stop and put it all in perspective for it to appear highly unlikely that she would off herself in the manner suggested, at the location she was discovered, and in the timeframe it occurred.
First let’s look at the methodology employed. Setting aside the findings that suicide is primarily carried out by men, particularly white males, women are far less likely to commit suicide via hanging. Not that it doesn’t or can’t happen, just that strangulation (including asphyxia and hanging) isn’t an option the average suicidal woman opts for. In a 1994 reporting on suicide, of the 4073 who chose hanging as their method of choice, 518 of them were female. The ratio of men to women committing suicide via hanging in the U.S. is approximately 6:1. Women tend to prefer poisoning, with second preference given to firearms (though usually not with a shot to the head as men typically carry it out, but instead to the chest). This data is supported by the American Medical Women’s Association in a piece titled “Suicide Among Women: A Critical Review“:
“A study comparing 61 female suicides with 143 male suicides found that 43% of the women used “more immediately fatal means” (defined as firearms, hanging, jumping) compared with 75% of men.”
The second issue to really stand out in my mind is that she was found hanging in her mother’s shed. How curious. I mean, think about it, how many of us would take our suicidal plan to a beloved family member’s residence where they will likely be the ones to discover the corpse? For this to have occurred, it shows Deborah Palfrey behaving in a most insensitive manner. Her mother obviously loved her. Poor woman. Here is a related newslink.
None of that disproves that she did in fact commit suicide, it just makes it seem less probable, especially with all things considered (like who her clients were).
This discussion at Wired, while riddled with arguments and naive assumptions, provides more to chew on.
But here’s the thing: she was a madam of a prostitution service that catered to DC bigwigs. She can claim that she wasn’t knowledgeable of any sex taking place, but that’s what most madams/pimps say when facing charges. Why? Because pimping and pandering are felony offenses, where as prostituting oneself is a misdemeanor.
As a general understanding within prostitution as a profession in the U.S., working girls employed by a madam or pimp will be bailed out if charged, but they’re supposed to keep their mouth shut and not roll over on their bosses who faces the more serious felony charges. In exchange for their cooperation and silence, the working girls expect their bosses to post bond. That’s how it’s done. Otherwise why work for a madam or pimp in the first place? This is where I think people are getting confused because they don’t understand how prostitution “works”.
PIMPS & MADAMS are there to: bail you out when you need it (hopefully), market and solicit business on your behalf, and also usually offer measures of protection (again, to varying degrees – sometimes legally, other times vigilante-style). In exchange for these services, you (the prostitute) pay them a portion of your earnings. Prostitutes, as a whole, do NOT have to work for either a pimp or madam (barring those cases where people are trafficked into sex work or otherwise forced against their will) and can remain autonomous as “independent providers.” It’s a decision a sex worker makes, though, admittedly, the newbie prostitute/escort is likely to gravitate toward an escort agency or call-girl network as that’s what most of us think of when we think of prostitution. Many “indies” started out working for a madam or pimp and later broke away to work solo. It’s not uncommon at all.
I say all of that because there have been comments posted throughout the Internet questioning the madam’s claims that she did not run a sex service conflicting with the statements given by 13 of the women who worked for her. Big boss was protecting her ass. She knew it. All of us out here in the sex-selling profession knew it was bullshit. The only people who don’t seem to get it are those unfamiliar with how prostitution, as a profession, is organized.
Times have changed and what once may have seemed high-tech is the mainstream now. Well, same goes for prostitution. Madams aren’t working brothels in the unsettled West these days. It’s about Internet websites and “coded” methods of communication to refrain from incriminating ourselves. Throughout my old website it explicitly stated that I had “no knowledge of illegal activities” nor partook in any. Sure it was bullshit. But it’s what we say to keep up appearances and confuse the public, though it serves as a very weak defense in court. We lie because what we’re doing is illegal. Madam Palfrey lied because what she was doing was illegal as well, and to admit that was to essentially agree to having all of her assets seized as property purchased with funds generated by an illegal venture. So, yeah, she knew the truth and wasn’t fooling many people. But she didn’t need to convince everyone, just those with power in her legal case. And when you can’t truly convince, you deny any wrongdoing and argue it’s the prosecution’s job to prove it.
I’ve heard it said many times in the industry: it’s all about semantics.
So, I guess I’m unclear why so many seemed shocked by these conflicting statements and assertions. Of course she knew sexual time was being sold on her clock, but by refusing to discuss this directly with the women she employed, she could claim ignorance later, and she did. Granted, I’d be willing to bet she did in fact discuss paid sex with plenty of employees. Wait for those that previously worked for her to speak out (once records draw them to the surface) and ask their opinions on this matter.
It’s the same method used by many prostitutes throughout this country, especially independent escorts. The #1 rule is usually: DO NOT discuss sexual activity of ANY KIND prior to or during the first appointment (up until the time sex is initiated). Doing so may lead to that potential client being blacklisted or ignored. Why? Well, who do you suppose approaches prostitutes with direct offers of money in exchange for specific sex acts? That’s right, cops. So, by refusing to discuss sex AT ALL initially and clearly stating on your site or ad that you do not engage in sex or illegal activities, you’re trying to protect yourself from getting busted. Stating all of that on your site or ad also helps when it’s discovered by others in your personal life who identify you, providing an out (“yes, I date for money, but we don’t have sex, therefore I’m not a prostitute”), however weak it may be. It’s all a smoke and mirrors game, as is so much else on the black market.
So anyway, the pimps and madams face more serious charges for their part in the sex work industry. Another reason why they also make more money than the average sex worker. The willingness to take on greater risk and manage people = greater rewards. But when that risk catches up with them, like so many slimy bosses elsewhere in the employment sphere, they prefer to roll on subordinates and harness them with the actual wrongdoing. As Madam Palfrey attempted when claiming she never told the women working for her to engage in sex and in fact had them sign a contract stating they would not. These contracts are quite typical among agencies and are intended to serve the legal interests of the owners, not the workers. The contract means nothing in a world of smoke and mirrors where implications speak louder than words. It is implied you will have sex, even if not expressly stated. I played that game as did every other “colleague” I met and/or interacted with. This is how you pull off working in an illegal trade, people. Especially in an agency that publicly pretends to be legit. It’s how they stay in business despite doing what it is they do and with everyone knowing it, without it being spelled out.
It’s difficult for many to look at the bigger picture when hung up on the minor details surrounding how prostitution enterprises typically operate in this country. Gotta keep in mind that it’s a sex service, an illegal trade, so of course some actions will be denied and plenty of lies will be cast as the truth. Madam Palfrey lied. Yes. So what? Lying about being involved with what the media has dubbed a “prostitution ring” (god, I hate that term) has what real relevance here? None. The DC crowd isn’t known for being a bunch of prudes, so read between the lines and move on.
The DC Madam is dead, hanged in her mother’s shed, a week after the gag order was lifted. Politicians and military personnel are said to be involved, and the madam had been threatening to start naming names. How can that not look a little fishy?
Besides, a widespread conspiracy isn’t needed to bring one madam down.
” this afternoon, which has now fueled my interest to learn even more about Mr. Ralph Nader. Eventually, I’ll have to order at least one of his books.
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