Brothel: Mustang Ranch

and Its Women

Touro University Nevada
Justin Christman, Breanna Dickson, Chris Gutierrez, Kristen Kincaid, Josee Lundquist,
Megan Meengs, Brandon Roberson, & Kerielle Smith

Brothels
Prostitution is prohibited in counties with a population more than
400,000
The counties and incorporated cities which allow and regulate brothel are
often remote counties
Nevada Brothels employ 1-50 legal prostitutes
28-30 brothels currently licensed in Nevada
Legal prostitutes are required to pay for and complete mandatory health
checks prior to obtaining a license to work.

(Hausbeck,Brents, & Jackson, 2006)

(Hausbeck,Brents, and Jackson, 2006)

Book Review
Brothel: Mustang Ranch and Its Women was written by
Alexa Albert,a Harvard medical student. Albert wrote this
book while she was conducting a public-health study on
condom use amongst prostitutes. Albert decided the best way
to gain information for her study was to contact a brothel in
Nevada, Mustang Ranch,ALbert is approved to stay at the
brothel and interview the employees there. Albert shares her
stories of what it was like living amongst these women as
they share their stories with her. By the end of the book
Albert has become very close with many of the women at the
brothel and in addition, these women successfully changed
Alberts views on legal prostitution.

Retrieved from: www.amazon.com

Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0HVL9LLFmI&oref=https%3A%2F%2F
www.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dc0HVL9LLFmI&has_verified=1

Press article 1
Harry Reid calls Nevada lawmakers cowards for not banning prostitution
Hindered economic development in the state, and called on lawmakers to
ban it in 2011
The legislature, theyre all a bunch of cowards,
Legal in 12 rural Nevada counties
Not every county where its legal has a brothel.
Illegal in four county
Clark County, home of Las Vegas
(Schwarz, 2014)
Washoe County, home of Reno

Retrieved from:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/08/25/har
ry-reid-calls-nevada-lawmakers-cowards-for-not-banningprostitution/

Press article 2
Nevada brothel owner rides to victory in county race
Against
-

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid told lawmakers the time has
come to have an adult conversation about Nevadas legal sex trade if the
state hopes to succeed in the 21st century.
When the nation thinks about Nevada, it should think about the worlds
newest ideas and newest careers - not about its oldest profession
[prostitution].

(Griffin, 2012)

Retrieved from: http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?

m=02&d=20101103&t=2&i=240614012&w=580&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=201
0-11-03T132637Z_01_BTRE6A20Y0U00_RTROPTP_0_USAELECTIONS-NEVADA-SENATE

Press article 2
Nevada brothel owner rides to victory in county race
Martin Griffith
For
-

To 99% of the voters, they view it as just a business. Its a prosperous

business thats helped the county.
I use the term caregivers for our industry. The public has no idea, but so
many of the men we deal with are damaged or widowed or in need of
kindness. The industry is so much more about providing care and human
nurturing than anything else.
It goes back to a longstanding libertarian tradition, and laws reflect that.
Its different in urban Nevada

(Griffin, 2012)
Retrieved from: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nev-brothelowner-rides-victory-county-race

Press article 3
Nevadas Legal Brothels Make Workers Feel Safer
About 500 women work as legal independent contractors in just under 30
brothels
o Employees report they feel safe, are free to come and go, and are bound
only by their contract
o 84% surveyed said that their job felt safe largely because the police,
employers and co-workers were there to protect them
Came to legal brothels from a wide variety of situations
o Supplementing low paying service jobs, escaping the hustle and danger of
illegal sex work, and supplementing erotic dancing or film careers
(Brents, 2014)

Press article 3
Nevadas Legal Brothels Make Workers Feel Safer
Room for improvement
o Enforcing differences between independent contractors and employees
o Workers with more education and resources were better able to protect
their rights
Sex trafficking
o No evidence of trafficking in the legal brothels
o Nevadas model is worth considering, but there are plenty of models of
legal prostitution throughout the world to draw from and lots of research
on these systems.
o Matter of good public policy: pay attention to evidence and rethink this
age-old profession.
(Brents, 2014)

Press article 4

I sell sex like McDonalds sells burgers

Dennis Hof- owner of Love Ranch, Moonlight
Bunny & star of HBO series Cathouse
Businessman not pimp because he has a
license to do it
Pocket half of womens earnings, along with fees and tips
Selling womens bodies compared to selling hamburgers
Women compared to objects
Illegal brothels on rise in Nevada, already 9x greater than legal brothels
Women interviewed for radiocast expressed same sentiments
They enjoy it, it pays well, they are treated with respect
Hof likes to be called Daddy; we are his girls
(Bindel, 2011)
Retreived from: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/relationships/article3224259.ece

Press article 4

I sell sex like McDonalds sells burgers

PR surrounding legal prostitution in Nevada would have you believe that
it is free range and organic, it is closer to battery farming.
o not allowed out unless given permission and accompanied
o many not allowed their own cars
o many required to work 14-hour shifts, 15 days in a row
Legal brothel owners given a license to take in the most disenfranchised
women in society and institutionalise them into an industry that will cause
them further harm.

(Bindel, 2011)

Scholarly Article 1
Sex Industry and Sex Workers in Nevada

Negative impact- Stereotyping and stigmatization

o The growth of the sex industry or pornoculture in the Silver
State has a negative impact where it condones exploitation,
oppression, crime, and continued stereotyping and
stigmatization of women

Positive impact- Safety

o When sex workers have a range of viable economic options,
when they are not forced into commercial sex against their
will, and when Nevadas tourism-based economy cultivates
arenas of safe sexual expression and enjoyment
o Minimize risk and exploitation and maximize safety and
empowerment
(Hausbeck,Brents, and Jackson, 2006)

Retrieved from: www.realitycheck.org

Scholarly Article 2
The Job Satisfaction of Female Sex Workers Working in Licensed
Brothels in Victoria, Australia
Job satisfaction levels and standards of living of sex workers in licensed brothels
in Victoria were compared with Australian women.

Results: Scale of 1-10

o Level of job satisfaction- 7
o Total pay- 7
o Job security - 6
Sex workers significantly more likely to not be
able to pay utilities/rent on time
(Bilardi et al., 2011)

Retrieved from www.utne.com

Scholarly Article 3
Prostitution, trafficking, and cultural amnesia: What we must not know in order
to keep the business of sexual exploitation running smoothly.

Many governments protect commercial sex businesses because of the huge profits
When prostitution is tolerated or legalized by the state, sexual predation becomes normalized
(ex. humiliating, dominating, and degrading behavior)
Many women report dissociating when turning tricks
o Dissociation necessary to survive rape, battering, and prostitution in adulthood is the
same as that used to survive familial sexual assault
Among prostitutes South Africa, there was significantly more physical violence in street as
compared to brothel prostitution, however; there was no difference in the womens emotional
distress
Legalization is not only ineffective in removing the stigma of prostitution: it also fails to protect
women from violence
o Legal control of prostitution focuses on its outward appearance rather than the conditions
in which women find themselves.
o Governments are much more concerned with public order and public health than about
abuse and violence.
(Farley, 2006)

Scholarly Article 4
Condom Use among Female commercial Sex Workers in Nevadas
Legal Brothels
41 licensed prostitutes in 3 brothels
Used condoms collected to verify breaks
Condoms used for all vaginal intercourse-353
No broken condoms/none fell off during intercourse
Slippage
12 times during intercourse
15 during withdrawal
Regular condom use may lead to condom mastery
Techniques to reduce likelihood of breakage and slippage
(Albert et al., 1995)
retrieved from:
http://www.fotosearch.com/ill
ustration/condom.html

Background Information
Sociocultural

Boyfriends/family often accept/encourage work

Many brothel workers are from out of state

Socioeconomic

Lower socioeconomic status

o Women make on average $300-$1500 a day when working at brothel
86% of women had graduated from highschool/GED
sex workers have a history of homelessness, mental health issues, incarceration,
emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and drug use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
2013)

Why this population is considered oppressed or marginalized

o Negative views/opinions from society
o Strictly regulated rules placed by Brothels
(Albert, 2002)

Background Information Cont.

Diversity factors
Women are the dominant gender in brothels
o In 2010 amendments were made to allow men to prostitutes in brothels
Little information is available regarding diversity amongst brothel prostitutes
o Albert (2002) mentions that the Mustang Ranch employed mainly White women with
some Black and Asian women
o Most women were in their 20s, but some were as old as 50+
Lifestyle choices that influences why this population is considered oppressed
Selling sex dehumanizes women, making them sexual commodities
Many women enter prostitution at a young age which deprives them of educational and other
opportunities
When women become prostitutes, willingly or otherwise, they enter a class of human beings who
are not supposed to have feelings and who are not allowed to say no
(Ramos, 2012)

Population
Beliefs
o prostitution is just a job, not necessarily a way of life
Values
o customer Service
o respect from their customers
o respect from co-workers
Roles
o balance between roles within the Brothel & their roles on the outside
Customary practices
o follow the rules of the Brothel (for the most part)

Health

Health Insurance
o Independent Contractors- no health care benefits (Giang, 2011)

Lifestyle
o Drinking
o Smoking
o Drug Use

Mandatory Health Checks (NAC 441A.800/802)

o Prior to becoming licensed each time they enter a brothel to work
o Weekly pap smears/rectal specimen exams & monthly blood tests for sexually transmitted infections (Brents &
Hausbeck, 2005; Nevada Legislature, 2015)
Mandatory Condom Use (NAC 441A.805)
o March 1988 State Health Department mandated condom use for all prostitutes in all brothels (Nevada
Legislature, 2015)
Statistics
o Self Reported STD contraction 2000-2008: 177 (Hansen, 2009)
o Nevada Brothels- no cases of HIV infection & negligible rate of STDs (Miles, 2012)

Well-being
Positive Well-being
-

Enjoyable and fulfilling career

Most prostitutes do enjoy their career and view it as enjoyable
Enough money
Prostitutes are able to make more money in a night than most make in a
week or even month
Nutritional diet
Cooks on staff
Regular exercise
Varies girl to girl
Sense of purpose and meaning
At work vs public

Retrieved from: http://www.trevorloudon.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/08/prostitution.jpg

Well-being
Negative Well-being
-

Happy relationship with partner

Difficult to maintain relationships due to lies, work schedule, line of
work
Network of close friends
Deprived of many close friendships because of their line of work and
fear of judgement and alienation
Sufficient sleep
12 hours on/12 hours off
Satisfying hobbies
Quarantined
Sense of belonging
At work vs public
Living in a fair society
Objectified
Nevada vs rest of country

Retrieved from:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3463/3813630820_f8589b6ac4_m.jpg

Occupational Engagement
Occupational Deprivation

Mandatory long stays at Brothels limits ability to engage in necessary or meaningful

occupations

Roles as mother, wife, caretaker, daughter, sister, employee, volunteer

Educational pursuits, leisure
Unable to leave compound alone or have access to personal vehicle

Occupational Imbalance

Work dominates the womens occupations while at the brothel

Occupational Apartheid
May not be allowed in establishments unless through the backdoor with a client
May not be allowed to settle in certain countries because previously registered sex worker
Limited entrepreneurship ability, unable to legally work independently from the brothel
Required to register as independent contractors, yet required to pay 50% of profit to
brothel owners
Do not have access to benefits like health insurance, sick leave, disability and
workers compensation
(Albert, 2001)

Occupational
Engagement

Occupational Marginalization
o

Sigma surrounding brothel workers and other sex workers

No morals

Unfit to be a mother

Dirty/Diseased

Mandatory, reported STD testing, despite condom use

STD testing not required of other professionals

Uneducated/ Stupid

Victim

May be unable to participate in desired occupations due to internalized shame, oppressed

volition, or societal pressure

PTA, Church, Volunteer with children, hold government office

Future employment opportunities

Acceptance by family, friends, and romantic partners

Occupational Alienation
o

Despite being required to work long shifts, some brothel workers may only see 5-10 clients
a week, therefore large chucks of downtime

Interview (who and why)

The Cupcake Girls-facilitate connections between various community resources
and individuals involved in all realms of the sex industry. the Cupcake Girls
are there to offer support, whether it is celebrating a success, offering help
during a crisis, or finding an important resource connection
True ID-is a faith-based organization serving the Las Vegas Valley that offers a
comprehensive mentorship experience that embraces, educates and empowers
at-risk youth and women who are currently in the adult entertainment/sex
industry
Hookers for Jesus-a non-profit organization which addresses the harmful
effects of prostitution, sex trafficking, and sexual exploitation linked to
pornography and the sex industry.
Sent in questions but did not reply prior to deadline

Interview Questions
1.

Do you or have you had an intimate relationship or SO outside of your professional career? If so how did your
career choice affect your personal/professional lifestyle?
2. How have you personally felt victimized during your profession? (Or witnessed oppression occur to another girl
in your profession?)
3. If you could go back and change your profession would you? Why or why not?
4. Do you disclose your profession to healthcare providers, and why or why not?
5. If you could tell the general public one thing about prostitution in hopes to change their view on the profession
what would it be?
6. Do you advocate for your profession? If so, how?
7. If you could change one aspect of your profession what would it be?
8. How difficult is it to maintain relationships (outside of work)?
9. If you could choose another profession, what would it be?
10. Do you feel that you are required to share too high of a percentage of your commission and tips with the
brothel owners? Would you prefer to rent a room instead of owing a percentage of your earnings?
11.
Do you feel the brothel work environment helps to minimize the risk of violence or drug-use associated with
unregulated prostitution?

Interview Summary
Positive
Feeling safe
Condom use
Pay
Companionship among other
brothel employees

Negative
Sharing life with family and
friends
Prolong time away from
families
Lack of choice
Inability to carry truth
intimate relationships outside
of brothel life
Uncomfortable clothing
Unusual sexual request

References
A Prostitute Tells All: Inside the Bedrooms of a U.S. Brothel. (2014, October 25). Retrieved February 21, 2015, from
http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/diary-prostitute?fullpage=true
Albert, A. (2002). Brothel: Mustang Ranch and its women. (New York):Random House LLC.
Albert, A.E., Warner, D.L., Hatcher, R.A., Trussell, J., & Bennett, C. (1995). Condome Use among Female Commercial Sex
Workers in Nevadas Legal Brothels. Americal Journal of Public Health, 85(11), 1514-1520.
Bilardi, J., Miller, A., Hocking, J., Koegh, L., Cummings, R., Chen, M., Bradshaw, C., Fairly, C. (2011). The job
satisfaction of female sex workers working in licensed brothels in Victoria, Australia. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 8, 116-122.
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01967x

Bindel, J. (2011, November 14). I sell sex like McDonalds sells burgers. The Times. Retrieved from
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/relationships/article3224259.ece
Brents, B. (2014). Nevadas legal brothels make workers feel safe. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebat
/2012/04/19/is-legalized-prostitution-safer/nevadas-legal-brothels-make-workers-feel-safer
Brents, B. & Hausbeck, K. (2001). State-sanctioned sex: Negotiating formal and informal regulatory practices in Nevada brothels.
Sociological Perspectives, 44(3), 307-332.
Brents, B. & Hausbeck, K. (2005). Violence and Legalized Brothel Prostitution in Nevada. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(3),
270-295.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). HIV risk among adult sex workers in the United States. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/ri
Farley, M. (2006). Prostitution, trafficking, and cultural amnesia: What we must not know in order to keep the business of sexual
exploitation running smoothly.Yale JL & Feminism, 18, 109.
Giang, V. (2011). Everything you ever wanted to know about prostitution in Nevada. Retrieved from

References

Hansen, A. (2009). Office of health statistics and surveillance:Top 20 STD behavioral trends by type of self-reported behavior and year of report. Retrieved
from
http://www.health.nv.gov/childcare/documents/OHSS_3-19-09.pdf
Hausbeck, K., Brents, B. G., Jackson, C. (2006). Sex Industry and Sex Workers
in Nevada. The Social Health of Nevada: Leading
Indicators and Quality of Life in the Silver State 1-17.
sk/other/sexworkers.html

Leggett, T. (2014, April 15). What Is It Really Like To Work In A Brothel? BuzzFeed. Retrieved from
http://www.buzzfeed.com/tabathaleggett/what-is-it-really-like-to-work-in-a-brothel#.bbvGOj0Yv

Miles, K. (2012). LA porn stars have more STDs than Nevada prostitutes,Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/01/la-porn-stars-stds-nevada-prostitutes-study-video_n_2058406.html
Ramos, N. (2012). Legal Prostitution Can Never Be Safe. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/04/19/is-legalized-prostitution-safer/legal-prostitution-can-never-be-safe
Nevada Legislature. (2015). NAC: CHAPTER 441A - Infectious diseases; Toxic agents. Retreived from
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-441A.html
Schwarz, H. (2014, August 25). Harry Reid calls Nevada lawmakers cowards for not banning prostitution. Retrieved February 12, 2015, from
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/08/25/harry-reid-calls-nevada-lawmakers-cowards-for-not-banning-prostitution/
Griffith, M. (2012, November 19). Nev. brothel owner rides to victory in county race. Retrieved February 19th, 2015, from