I'm not here to judge. I struggle with this myself. I've paid for sex a few times and I was never proud of it. I had a few buddies who knew and even though they didn't say it, I knew they didn't respect me for it. After the thrill wears off your left wanting...so it can lead you down a dark place, "the chaser effect" can be really heavy for some or not at all for others. I can see how one might argue that it gets you closer to a real intimate experience outside the computer screen, but the reality is much deeper than that, it's not a good substitute as there are risks involved and there might be more at stake. Moreover it's not empowering because it's more like a transaction than a caring healthy exchange, plus you can end up in a really shady situation as it's illegal in most places. Beyond that, you can face consequences of being arrested as a John and that's not good for anyone's reputation or self-esteem. That's my take on it anyway. Hope this helps!
