Once You Cross a Street You’re on the Edge of a Cliff : Surviving the Sex Industry in Korea

Prostitution is the oldest “profession” in the world—that’s what they say. According to Havocsope, total prostitution revenue is $186 billion worldwide, with 40-42 million women prostituted. The number itself is staggering, but the reality is hard to grasp with the statistics only. Bomnal’s memoir Once You Cross a Street, You’re on the Edge of a Cliff is a personal record of her twenty years in prostitution and a firsthand report of the industry people call “sex trade” with a clear statement that prostitution is not a profession, but oppression. Bomnal’s personal history starkly presents a larger picture of the prostitution industry: how the pimps trap women with “advance payments”; the physical and sexual abuse of the “clients”; and the close relationship between the police and brothels. This system built upon the exploitation of women makes it so easy for women to take a step into the industry and much harder to seek escape from it. At this point, the boundary between “forced” versus “voluntary” prostitution is pointless—all it takes is one misstep. With an honest and brave voice, Bomnal not only revisits her past but also calls for hope and solidarity. “When I crossed a street, I never knew I would be standing on a cliff. I couldn’t avoid the plunge, but I found people waiting down there. It took a long time until I climbed back, and I’m still in the middle of the process. But the point is, some people reached out their hands to me and helped me get back on my feet,” said Bomnal in an interview. Beyond all the myths surrounding the “sex trade”, there is truth resounding in her trace: prostitution is not a choice and should never be one. And there’s always a way out.