Whom Are the Real Reason For Prostitution?

In the enveloping darkness, Vanessa lay motionless on the cold, unforgiving floor, her eyes closed and swollen from the torrent of tears she had shed.

Her once tidy hair was now a tangled mess, caked with the dirt and grime of the ground.

The building she found herself in was old and decrepit, long abandoned and forgotten by those who once used it. Its walls echoed with silence, amplifying the sense of desolation.

Vanessa's body was marked with bruises and cuts, evidence of the horrific abuse she had endured.

The beastly figure who had inflicted such pain showed no mercy, leaving her battered and broken.

Her skin, marred with cruel imprints, stuck to the dusty floor, emphasizing the depth of her suffering.

She was utterly alone; the anonymous man who had assaulted her was gone, leaving only the stark memory of his cruelty.

To her left, a 100 € note lay carelessly discarded. The memory of the man's actions seared into her mind - his rough hands roaming over her body before he callously tossed the money onto her.

The note seemed to mock her, a cruel reminder of the dehumanizing ordeal she had just endured.

The building's oppressive silence and the absence of any other presence only heightened the sense of violation and abandonment she felt.

— "It's a reward for you, giving me your body's pleasure for the first time."

Vanessa opened her eyes. It was already nighttime, though she could tell it wasn't very late. Her face and body were both emotionless, as if she were a statue.

She neither fully understood what had happened to her nor grasped the meaning of the words the anonymous man had spoken. Mustering all her strength, Vanessa tried to rise but found she couldn't.

Her entire body was wracked with pain that defied description. She attempted to move again and this time managed to lift herself slightly, clutching a brick of the old building for support.

Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and sweat poured down her forehead. Her legs trembled violently, barely able to hold her weight.

When Vanessa looked at her hands, she saw they were shaking uncontrollably as well.

She slowly moved her hands and noticed both were trembling in a way she had never seen before.

Vanessa continued to survey her body, which was thoroughly ravaged by the anonymous man.

She turned and saw the money he had thrown at her. Picking it up with her soft palm, she clenched her fist tightly around it. She knew she couldn't stay there; suddenly, she remembered Elysia.

Panic surged through her, and with trembling hands, she dressed herself. Though she could walk, her pace was painfully slow.

At that moment, she felt numb, devoid of any real emotion. Vanessa held the money tightly in her palm, determined to head toward the market to buy the necessary medicines.

She wrapped herself as best as she could against the cold, as it was nearly winter. Despite the overwhelming fear coursing through her, thoughts of her mother's poor health brought a pang of guilt that drove her forward.

Throughout her journey, Vanessa moved emotionlessly towards her destination. To an outsider, there was no sign of the horrors she had endured, her stoic exterior hiding the turmoil within.

Because the Amsterdam market was about to close soon, Vanessa hurriedly purchased the medicines. She spoke barely a word, feeling the predatory gazes of the people around her, none of which were kind.

As she walked home, her mind was preoccupied with the word "prostitute." She had never heard it before and didn't understand its meaning. Little did she know, learning the meaning of that word would soon change her entire world.

Vanessa knocked on the door softly, and Heidi opened it quickly, as if she had been waiting by the door. When their eyes met, Heidi asked worriedly,

— "Why did you take so long? Mum's health isn't that good. Come inside."

Vanessa remained silent and slowly walked inside, handing the medicine to Heidi. Heidi rushed to the other room with the medicine in hand.

Meanwhile, Vanessa sat on a chair, her mind drifting back to the anonymous man and the disturbing events she had endured.

Lost in her thoughts and unanswered questions, she hardly noticed when Heidi returned, speaking in a comforting tone.

— "Thank God! You came at the right time. Otherwise, it would have been hard to give Mum her medicine."

Heidi exclaimed. She took a glass, filled it with water, and drank it all in one go.

— "By the way, where were you for so long? Did you have any trouble getting the medicine?"

Heidi asked, taking a deep breath and sitting on a chair opposite Vanessa. Vanessa, lost in her own world, heard the question but didn't reply.

Noticing Vanessa's disinterest, Heidi gently shook her arm. Suddenly, Vanessa screamed in pain.

— "Aa-a-a Heidi!"

She cried out. When Heidi realized Vanessa was hurt, she showed concern and moved her chair closer to her sister. She proceeded cautiously and asked in a gentle voice,

— "Sister! Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

Vanessa rubbed her arm a little, shrugged, and, while lost in thought, hesitated before speaking. Unsure if Heidi would know the answer, she finally inquired,

— "Heidi, if I-I ask you something, will you mind?"

— "Never. Just ask me, and I'll answer if I can."

Heidi reassured her. Vanessa struggled to form the question but eventually decided to ask,

— "Heidi? Do you know what 'prostitute' means?"

Expecting a variety of possible answers, Vanessa was taken aback when Heidi responded shockingly,

— "So you heard it too?"

Vanessa was both shocked and puzzled by Heidi's revelation.

— "What?"

She whispered incredulously. Heidi leaned in closer, speaking in a secretive tone,

— "There's a woman who recently moved in as our neighbor. Everyone says she's a prostitute, and her daughter will be living with her. There have been countless rumors about them, and they're still circulating. I was curious about the meaning of 'prostitute,' so an aunt told me yesterday that it's a person, mostly women, who engage in sexual intercourse in exchange for payment as a sex partner."

— "Huh? Is that true, even?"

Vanessa asked, still trying to process the information.

— "I wondered the same thing, but it's true. You could say they sell their bodies for money."

Heidi replied solemnly.

— "I can't believe someone would do that, just for money."

Vanessa remained puzzled and whispered again, mirroring Heidi's tone,

— "What's the connection though? A prostitute living in our society?"

— "Oh, my innocent elder sister!"

Heidi sighed,

— "You truly are innocent. It's considered a dirty business, universally despised. People hate this profession; even men don't like those women."

— "Huh? But aren't men the reason women become prostitutes? Then how can they not like them?"

Vanessa questioned, her voice tinged with confusion.

— "What do you mean?"

Heidi asked, her eyebrows furrowing at her elder sister's statement. She waited patiently for Vanessa to elaborate.

— "I mean, if men didn't pay them after having sex, then women wouldn't sell their bodies, right?"

Vanessa couldn't comprehend why Heidi seemed disappointed upon hearing her answer-a harsh reality that neither of them liked.

With a frown, Heidi remained silent for a few moments, maintaining intense eye contact with Vanessa before speaking up, her irritation evident in her tone as she seemed to disapprove of Vanessa's inclination to sympathize with prostitutes.

— "But women are the ones who choose to sell their bodies."

Heidi asserted, her eyes still fixed on Vanessa.

— "Imagine you come across a bunch of bananas in the middle of the street, with no one around to see or catch you, and you're craving a banana. Wouldn't you eat it?"

Heidi paused, then continued,

— "You know it's wrong, but you'd still steal the bananas to satisfy your craving. Similarly, women seek a quick and easy income source without putting in hard work. Prostitution is a simple job, isn't it? And men go towards them because women are like those bananas."

Heidi presented her argument to Vanessa, convinced of her stance on the topic of prostitution. However, her sense of satisfaction waned when Vanessa posed a simple question.

— "Will you steal overripe bananas, Heidi?"

Vanessa asked. Heidi didn't immediately respond, her expression betraying a mix of emotions. But upon realizing Vanessa awaited her answer, she replied in a low voice,

— "I would not."

Vanessa chuckled softly before responding with a deep breath,

— "See, then why, even after knowing a woman is a prostitute, do generous and respectable men still seek them out? If ripe bananas and used bodies are both undesirable, why do they still exist? If men didn't choose them, then eventually, all prostitutes would vanish from the earth. This profession and community would cease to exist, wouldn't it, Heidi?"

Heidi remained silent, her thoughts swirling as Vanessa rose from her chair.

— "I am going to sleep. I'm feeling sleepy."

Vanessa announced, her voice gentle. Vanessa didn't want to prolong the uncomfortable moment or make Heidi feel embarrassed, so she decided to leave.

As she processed the newfound understanding of prostitution, she couldn't help but ponder how society viewed these individuals unfairly. Who would advocate for them and correct these misconceptions?

Vanessa never imagined her own sister would hold such a different perspective on prostitutes. Despite being fellow human beings, societal criticism still prevailed.

Ultimately, she realized, the issue wasn't with the prostitutes or the men, but with society itself, always meddling in the lives of others.