Whore

Diana E. H. Russell, Ph.D.

Home

Biography

Curriculum Vitae

Books

Articles

Articles and Books Online

Political Actions

Feminist Flag

Activism Photos

Reddy Sex Slavery Case

Personal Photo Album

Adorable Animal Photos

Videos and Audio

Links

Follow Diana at Twitter!

Support Diana at YouTube

Support Diana at Facebook

Recommend Site

Search this Website

Contact Information

Vienna Declaration

The Making of a Whore: The Story of Lara Newman

THE MAKING OF A WHORE:

THE STORY OF LARA NEWMAN

Introduction

“If I had to describe myself in one word, I'd say, 'I'm a whore.'”

I interviewed Lara Newman (a pseudonym) in Cape Town in 1991. The interview lasted approximately two-and-a-half hours. All the names in her story have been changed.

Lara was born in Johannesburg into a middle-class English, South African family. She was 23 years old with two younger sisters aged 18 and 16 at the time of the interview. She was married and living with her husband and two children — a boy aged five and a girl aged two. Her husband, Brian, an English South African, was a successful marketing manager. Lara was studying for a Bachelor of Accounting degree. Lara's father obtained several diplomas but never went to university. He spent the last 20 years in charge of the computer programming department of a major commercial enterprise. Lara described him as “always ready to help when they phone him after work with computer problems, even if it's three o'clock in the morning.” Her mother left school after finishing standard eight and worked as a bookkeeper before becoming a full-time housewife.

Although Lara went to school at a Catholic convent, she was brought up as an Anglican. This remains her religious preference now.

I chose the title for this article (with Lara's blessing) because I found Lara's story particularly helpful in illuminating how the experience of incestuous abuse can train a victim to become a prostitute. As Lara herself so poignantly stated it,...