Memoirs of a Sex Industry Survivor [Hardcover]

Anne Bissell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2004

For Juliet, the "life", or the world of prostitution, started off as a game. But then the "game" took over. First she became addicted to the fast, constant, easy money, then to turning tricks into "sugar daddies".

As Juliet begins to heal from her life as prostituted teen, she meets other sex industry survivors. Their similarities change her perspective on the sex industry for good. For most sexe industry survivors, prostitution is a re-enactment of childhood sexual exploitation.

Like Juliet, these women mistankenly believed that prostitution would help them regain the power that had been stolen from them. Ultimately, this decision often proved to be soul-destroying, self-destructive, and for far too many, lethal.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Anne Bissell's Memoirs is a powerful, important book... the sex "worker" is conveyed in realistic detail..." -- Lisa M. Najavits, PhD Director , Trauma Research Program, McLean Hospital Associate Professor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School (2003)

"Memoirs of a Sex Industry Survivor" is from the trenches!" -- Dr. Lois Lee Founder and President Children of the Night (2003)

Until I read Memoirs, I thought I was completely alone in my desperate attempts to heal from ... my past. -- Aspen Brock Former Porn Star (2003)

About the Author

Anne Bissell is the author of the Juliet West mystery series, and the creator of a brand new genre: FusionFiction tm. She is the founder of Sex Industry Survivors Anonymous. Her mission is to de-glamorize the global, billion-dollar sex industry, which she believes is not a victimless crime. Bissell has studied women in the sex industry for two decades. A third-generation writer and a former technical writer in the computer industry, she has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Maryland, and a certificate in Writing from the University of San Diego. She lives with her husband and son in Southern California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 299 pages
• Publisher: Cleopatra International Publications LLC; First Edition ~1st Printing edition (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974606006
• ISBN-13: 978-0974606002
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,693,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Voice of truth, March 2, 2005

By 

Jennifer S. Ross (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Memoirs of a Sex Industry Survivor (Hardcover)

This book is a voice of clarity and truth amidst the cacophony of canned statements by sex industry representatives. Anne Bissell records with chilling accuracy the expendable nature of sex industry workers. Her characters grapple with the temptation to give in to society's demand for commodified female sexuality. Reading this book validated my own struggle to connect a sexually abusive childhood with my later work as a stripper. I recommend it to anyone who questions the death grip pornographers and "pimp culture" have on our society.
Jennifer Ross
former topless dancer

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The truth will set you free, July 30, 2004

By 

anonymous (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Memoirs of a Sex Industry Survivor (Hardcover)

Kudos to Anne Bissell and her enlighting book on the harsh realities of being a sex worker. Bissell has so eloquently brought to light the damaged psyche of those who choose to work in this profession. I highly recommend this book for it's redeeming nature. I have been in the sex industry for the last ten years both as a stripper and an actress in porn. I am not proud of what I do and have given up on myself over and over. Unfortunately, the media continues to glamorize sex work without revealing the real truth. Bissell exposes the life circumstances and the dark cloud of shame that surrounds not only me but my fellow collegues. This book has inspired me to make a change in my life and for that I am deeply grateful.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By the founder of Sex Industry Survivors Anonymous, April 12, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Memoirs of a Sex Industry Survivor (Hardcover)

Anne Bissell [is] the founder of Sex Industry Survivors Anonymous and has taken upon herself the mission of de-glamorizing the global sex trade. While Bissell's Memoirs Of A Sex Industry Survivor is a fictional story, she draws upon very real situations and presents the unvarnished truth of the hardships and exploitations of prostitution. An utterly compelling read that draws one into an inherently fascinating narration of the oppressions sex workers endure, Memoirs Of A Sex Industry Survivor is unique, compelling, informative, entertaining, and strongly recommended reading.