Once You Cross a Street, You're on the Edge of a Cliff: Surviving the Sex Industry in Korea

Prostitution is the oldest " profession" in the world— that' s what they say. According to Havocsope, total prostitution revenue is $186 billion worldwide, with 40-42 million women prostituted. The number itself is staggering, but the reality is hard to grasp with the statistics only. Bomnal' s memoir Once You Cross a Street, You' re on the Edge of a Cliff is a personal record of her twenty years in prostitution and a firsthand report of the industry people call " sex trade" with a clear statement that prostitution is not a profession, but oppression. Bomnal' s personal history starkly presents a larger picture of the prostitution industry: how the pimps trap women with " advance payments" ; the physical and sexual abuse of the " clients" ; and the close relationship between the police and brothels. This system built upon the exploitation of women makes it so easy for women to take a step into the industry and much harder to seek escape from it. At this point, the boundary between " forced" versus " voluntary" prostitution is pointless— all it takes is one misstep. Read more