This as-told-to essay from Jana, a sex worker in Bologna, Italy, has been transcribed, translated,
I’m a 51-year-old woman, and I’m a prostitute. I’m not that young anymore, but I still have my charm.
I stopped receiving clients at home on March 5; it is too dangerous. My job requires physical contact—my job is, in fact, all about physical contact—and keeping a safe distance is impossible when you are having sex.
My partner knows about my job, and he doesn’t judge me. He is a courier and he works during the day, so that’s when I agree to answer some calls from my clients.
Believe it or not, the calls are never erotic. Over these five weeks of quarantine, I have realized how much of a “comfort” I am for them. Many find support in our relationship. It’s not about how I fuck—anyone can do that—but rather it’s the special attention that I give: I listen.