Samia likes to think of herself as a pleasure giver and points out that she is a good Muslim who fasts during the holy month of Ramadan.
She works in a brothel in the capital with colorfully decorated rooms that match her underwear, scented with the incense of Bakhoor.
She was reluctant to be interviewed shortly before Ramadan, but finally agreed to a price and threw her exhausted body into an old rocking chair, then lit a cigarette before she started to talk.
How did you become involved in the sex industry?
Samia likes to think of herself as a pleasure giver and points out that she is a good Muslim who fasts during the holy month of Ramadan.
She works in a brothel in the capital with colorfully decorated rooms that match her underwear, scented with the incense of Bakhoor.
She was reluctant to be interviewed shortly before Ramadan, but finally agreed to a price and threw her exhausted body into an old rocking chair, then lit a cigarette before she started to talk.
How did you become involved in the sex industry?
I was 22 when my father made me work in the farms near our home to help him in the expenses of the family. I had discontinued my education, I could not think of any reason to refuse. I managed to find work quickly in the farming sector through one of my relatives. However, I did not realize that this job would be a turning point in my life. There, I met a well-off young man who seduced me and promised me and my family a better life, so I started to have sex with him frequently until he decided one day to break up with me. To avoid the shame of the scandal, I had to run away and leave the village. I travelled, after receiving the blessings of my family, to Sousse, which is a coastal city, searching for a better job with a better income. But, I wish I hadn’t.
What happened then?
As I was a stranger in the city and had no idea where to go, I had to stay in the house of one of my ‘acquaintances’ who told me to have sex with him in return for his protection. During the period I stayed with him, he used to abuse me and assault me. I stayed with this punk for three months before he kicked me out his house. He even dared to suggest that I should try my luck at the city’s brothel. I refused, in the beginning, but then I had no choice but to accept. I thought, to indulge in matters that are religiously forbidden but legally allowed is better than practicing matters that are religiously forbidden and also illegal. Besides, my youthful age was wasted and my femininity was stolen from me, and so I had nothing to lose! I also remembered the hungry and confused family I left behind. I found no other option but to knock on the doors of the brothel. From that moment, I started my journey and afterwards I moved to the brothel in the capital where I now work.
Do you fear the reaction of your family and what they will think of you should they know you are a prostitute?
How can I tell them that I am a prostitute when they think I have been working as a salesperson in a shop since the day I travelled three years go. (She said with a big laugh). Since I sent them the first money transfer I became their favorite. Only on one occasion, did my old father ask me about the nature of my work and I said to him that I work for a businessman. Since then, he has asked me nothing except the date of the next money transfer and the date of my next visit. So far, things went just fine but what really makes me worried and concerned is that every time I visit my family, my mother keeps talking about the day she hopes to see me married.
Have you ever considered leaving prostitution?
If I do, who will feed my poor family?! Let me tell you something, whoever steps in this diseased world will find it very difficult to leave. I no longer find it shameful to be a prostitute as all I care about is providing my family with a decent income. In fact, most of the time, the money I make is more than the income of governmental officials. So why should I even consider changing my job? Let Allah write our fate as He chooses, because at the end of the day, we find ourselves compelled to do things we have never planned to do.
How do you find the society’s perception of you?
It kills me, as they perceive me negatively but that is the tax I have to pay for being in the sex industry. No one, however, dares to insult me or abuse me because people of all types and from all levels and age groups come to me whether they are poor or rich, laborers or officials, old or young. Everyone comes to me looking for sex and seek my approval. So, I really could not care less!
How do you handle the month of Ramadan since it is about to commence? Do you continue working?
(She lights a new cigarette and speaks in a sharp tone), aside from the few days I take off from work each month, I keep waiting for this month all the year so I can change my life, even if it is for a short while. The month of Ramadan is not for sex searchers but rather for Allah and the family alone. As soon as the month begins, which will be very soon, I will return to my family, be the person I used to be, draw myself near to Allah, fast the days and give charity to some poor people. I want to feel the warmth of the family and enjoy the special times of Ramadan. Maybe some people think I am a hypocrite but this is my life and my relation with Allah that no one knows about except Him.
Do you feel concerned for working as a prostitute while the trend of radicalism is growing in Tunisia?
It is my fate that I am a prostitute but I am convinced that I practice this legally and in public. No one has authority over me except Allah and my family. Let me tell you one more thing, I consider myself chaster than those who sell their bodies in secret. There are many women who prostitute in secret and that is something that everybody knows about. It is them who might be hypocrites but not me. Not to mention, I pay taxes and help in boosting tourism. Many customers, particularly from neighboring countries, visit the brothel I work at and I have a friend who visits me every year on many occasions.
Have the changes which have taken place in Tunisia since the revolution had any effect on your work?
We had difficult times at work in the first days of the revolution as we were attacked by some extremists who were almost successful in shutting down the brothel. But things returned to normal afterwards. Though we still receive threats, the situation is safe and stable as long as we have customers.
What do you think about what is happening in Tunisia and Arab countries?
The situation is not so promising because prices are continuously increasing and job opportunities are rare to find these days. In simple terms, the life of the poor has become more difficult than before and this is due to the injustice of the previous and current regimes. I think this will not change if the poor and disadvantaged people are not treated fairly. I wish from the bottom of my heart that Allah answers the prayers of the needy ones in this month of Ramadan.
