The law sometimes seems like a very vague concept, especially when myths are rumored to be true that help confuse matters. Escorts, while their careers are within the legal confines of the law, must be careful which myths they choose to believe in order to protect themselves, just the same. It's best to be informed in order to avoid any conflicts that may arise due to misunderstandings of the law.

The more corrupt the state, the more laws.
—Tacitus, Annals

Law enforcement personnel have neither motivation nor obligation to debunk legal myths perpetuated by television shows, movies and books because ignorant and delusional citizens are easier to intimidate and manipulate. If you demonstrate that you know legal fact from fiction, they may let you go on the spot and look for a weaker prey.

This is why it is escorts' personal responsibility and civic duty to know legal myths from legal truths:

• A cop has to confess his status of being a cop when asked. Untrue! Despite how many cop shows you watch on television where this seems to be true, it isn't. Police officers can lie about anything necessary in order to stay undercover. Their mission is to catch you doing something illegal; not to win an award for honesty. You can ask a cop numerous times, various ways if he is undercover, and he can deny it every time. The only way you will discover that he is a cop is to do some research and trust your gut. (Some officers may have been awarded commendations or involved in big arrests in the past, with their pictures appearing in the newspapers. You may be able to find information about an officer online. But don't count on it.) Some people argue that undercover officers who arrest subjects are engaging in entrapment. The legal argument is that the subject was engaging in the activity without the officer's encouragement.
• Asking a client to undress first will prove that he is not a cop. Untrue! Although most police officers would prefer to not expose themselves to an escort in the attempt to get an arrest, there is nothing that legally prohibits him from getting naked in front of you. In fact, police officers may do a number of unethical or illegal things in order to nab a perceived criminal. Undercover officers will not only possess, but to also do drugs with known drug dealers in order to acquire enough evidence to get an arrest that will lead to a guilty conviction. They've participated in crimes, such as theft, assault and smuggling to in the name of reducing crime. If they will do all of these things, they will take their pants off in front of you without question.
• If a client goes through with a sexual act, he is not a cop. Untrue! Again, Police officers can do a number of questionable things in order to get an arrest. Furthermore, the client you just had sex with could be a police informant. After the encounter, he will report to the police and inform them about the entire experience, from the discussion about what services he wanted to the cost of the time spent. He will go into detail about any sexual activities that both of you engaged in.
• Only new clients are threats. Untrue! Undercover police officers could be repeat clients who are trying to obtain more information about you, your clients and your agency. They may meet with you several times – you pay them a good enough salary that they can afford to see you often. They will asking seemingly innocent questions to create a better profile of you. Additionally, they may be gaining information that helps them stake out your incall or gain access to your Internet or phone accounts. This makes screening your clients even more important. Typically, undercover Police officers have backgrounds and verifiable information that are planted online, but they only go back so far. If you can only find information about your client for the past five years or so, be extra cautious. Don't get lazy and assume that a client you've seen three or four times is nothing to worry about. Additionally, a client could be picked up by the authorities as he leaves an encounter. Many times, police officers will offer him a deal where he can avoid conviction if he helps them arrest you and anyone associated with your business. Often, even the most loyal client will incriminate you when it comes to saving himself.
• Escorting is legal since you're charging for your time, not sex. True, but: prosecutors will happily twist this in a courtroom where the jury sees escorting as illegal. Juries are instructed to consider the "totality of circumstances" when they make guilty or non-guilty decisions. If your website or directory profile includes suggestive, sexy photos, your hourly rates, the specific sexual services your clients may expect and anything else that insinuates the client will get sex out of the deal, the jury may assume that you're actually providing sex for money, despite your technicality. In most cases, you will never fall under scrutiny. But, just the same, you shouldn't fool yourself into thinking that because you market yourself as charging for your time, that the authorities won't see it differently. Exercise caution when you blatantly talk about sex in your profile or on your website.
• You can change your mind part-way through and never be arrested. Untrue! The act of sex, itself, is not the illegal aspect of prostitution. Typically, throughout the U.S., definitions of prostitution involve agreeing to exchange sex for money…or providing a sexual service with monetary remuneration. When you set up an encounter, with the expressed understanding that the client is going to get lucky, some legal departments define that as prostitution, even if you back out of the deal before anything physical occurs. You can argue that the agreement to engage in sex is a private, consensual issue between you and your client and has nothing to do with the amount of money he is giving you to spend time with you, but many prosecutors may try to convict you, anyways. It is the intention to have sex with your client as part of the time he spends with you that can get you arrested by overzealous Police officers. And, juries who are convinced by prosecutors that you agreed to provide sex, along with the time, for money may bring back a guilty verdict.
• As the money is only a gift (and not payment for anything else), you can't be found guilty of breaking the law. Untrue! Regardless of how the money is exchanged, a jury – most probably, unaware of jury nullification – could still find you guilty of prostitution if they contend the money was intended for your services, through prior agreements. Previous conversations with the client may incriminate you. Arguments that the client only left money out on the table and you took it doesn't typically make the jury see the situation any differently, either. However, being as covert as possible with payment can help confuse the issue for a jury.
• Helping a friend find clients can't be pimping. Untrue! Pimping is defined as the promotion of prostitution. If the authorities find that your friend is guilty of prostitution, you can be incriminated, as well, for referring clients to her, giving her clients' contact information, driving her to an encounter (even though you may be acting as security) or bringing her with you to an encounter of yours to engage in a threesome with your client. Even if you receive no payment for your involvement, you can still be implicated for promoting the act. When the authorities stoop to these levels, they are scrutinizing very closely, hoping to make examples out of people.
• Prostitution is punished by fines only. Untrue! While misdemeanor convictions often require you to pay a fine, more serious felony convictions may not only require a fine payment, but they will also get you jail time and property confiscation. Jail time from 30 days to many years may result from charges dealing with minors or sex and solicitation in locations near schools or churches. If the authorities can prove you used your computer, car or home in association with your "crime", they can seize your property. Additionally, it isn't just property seizure, your loss of freedom or a small fine you could be facing, your secret could get out to everyone around you. Escorts are arrested using their real names, and many police departments publish the names and pictures of people convicted of prostitution crimes on their websites and in the local papers. Finally, your arrest could haunt you for the rest of your life. Background checks yield any arrests on your record. When someone, including your bank or insurance company, does a background check on you, they will discover that you've been convicted for prostitution. This is an arrest and conviction you want to fight.
• The best thing to do is to cooperate with the police and give them the information they want. Untrue! You should cooperate with them to the extent of not putting up a fight and following their basic directions about where to go and what to do. But that's where your cooperation must end. For more details, watch Don't talk to police: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkZf6_jK3Zs
• While most escorts don't have any trouble with the law, it's still important to know what it says and what mistruths exist about expectations. Feeling like you're above the law or can't get caught puts you in a position to become careless. Pay special attention to your conversations, screen your clients carefully and trust your instincts. If something feels "off," it probably is. You could save yourself a lot of trouble by paying attention to that feeling that something just "isn't right."

And, if you suspect that you have found a loophole with the law (in any issue in your life), always research it yourself and discuss with an attorney. Misinformation can be dangerous.

Please note: Skipthegames.com is not a legal service. We do offer you what we consider our best advice, but if at all in doubt, please consult a professional.