Legal brothels have been shuttered for nearly a year, leaving sex workers to offer less-lucrative alternatives like online dates or nonsexual escort services.
Those in the industry say many of the licensed prostitutes, who work as independent contractors, have struggled to qualify for unemployment benefits since closures began in March last year and some have opted to take their work into the shadows, offering sex illegally. While the business of legal bordellos might seem incompatible with social distancing, sex workers and brothel owners said that is not the case.
Like other close-contact industries, such as massage therapy and dental services, they said brothels should be allowed to reopen with protective measures. You can go to a tattoo parlor and get your face tattooed right now. You can get piercings put in your face. So far, Nevada officials have not agreed. A state task force that makes recommendations on coronavirus restrictions has not responded to pleas from brothel owners seeking a way to reopen. The Democratic governor has said that brothels, along with other adult entertainment like nightclubs and strip clubs, would stay closed at least through May 1.
Nevada, like many US states, saw a spike of coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths around the winter holidays, but since the middle of last month, those numbers have been steadily declining.
They are only allowed to operate in counties with populations of less than , people. Brothels and prostitution are illegal in the counties that include Las Vegas and Reno, but some brothels are a half-hour to an hour away. Some offer free limo rides from the casino-heavy cities. Little, who was working at the Moonlite Bunny Ranch brothel in the state capital, Carson City, said she has lost 95 percent of her income amid the closures. She said she has been providing virtual dates, Webcam experiences and creating X-rated content through subscriber site OnlyFans, among other ventures.
