I only got five GCSEs, much to the concern of my family. Since then I got qualified in my field and became a published author. Qualifications are great but they are not the be all. You can do whatever you want as long as you have the passion.

I have a degree and worked in management positions from graduation for 15 years. Started sex work whilst still working for my last job as I left my husband and moved into a flat by myself which stretched my finances a bit so I started on adult phone lines and then sex work once I realised that was more lucrative! I loved it and it made such a massive difference to my income. Juggled both for a year or so until I got outed by a tabloid and had to resign job- ironically pushing me into sex work full time!

I lost the nerve to apply for jobs because a quick google of my name would bring up my 'tabloid shame' and I couldn't face getting a job and then being found out and losing it. Even though I resigned my job as opposed to be sacked and was assured a fair reference I just couldn't do it. Anyway, escorted full time for 4 years and 18 months ago got another freelance job with a small business where I told the boss the truth- she was a friend of a friend who recommended me to her and my friend say she thought the woman would understand. She was outraged at what had happened to me and took me on! I now do sex work part time and the other job part time. It;s great because I'm paid by the day and at busy times it's a full time job and I can do less escorting but during quiet times I can escort more.

I'm lucky really, having been in a place where I believed my career had been ruined and there was no way out of sex work.

Sorry, went off at a tangent there!

I had a very respectable career/ job in which I got verbally  threatened daily , attacked physically at  various times and escorted ( lol) from courts etc due to the evidence I had to give , so I've had to be a good judge of character, risk assess situations , people and their drug alcohol dependency etc ...so as far as escorting goes I feel less vulnerable ( but still acutely aware of the risks) than I did and I earn 3/4 times the amount I did then ...plus it had huge responsibility and a whole heap of stress so it's helped me in the long run , I've been paid to be assaulted / abused prior to this and I'm aware it could happen at anytime but I've been fortunate so it's helped me so far , plus I relate to colleagues that visit me to release their stress lol