Rio de Janeiro is known all over the world for its lively nights, and the north side is one of those places. And it was in the neighborhood of São Cristóvão that we became interested in finding a story for our project, since it is close to the school and also very well known.
Among the attractions is the famous Quinta da Boa Vista, known to many for its beauty and its history. However, it's more common for us to know the surroundings of the Quinta during the day, with our families. That's why what inspired us to venture out as "interviewers" in the surrounding area was late in the afternoon, early evening, more precisely along the alley next to Rua Almirante Baltazar, where working girls earn their daily bread.
Luckily for us, we managed to talk to two girls, who gave us a few minutes of their time. The first question struck a nerve with one of them:
Why did you get into this life? Tatiane answered: - I started out of necessity. I needed some money to help out at home, my mother took care of me and my 2 siblings by herself and still had to make ends meet to put food on the table. I even lived on the street for a while, over there downtown, but today I'm here. Fabi answered more sharply: - Out of necessity, but a lot of it was because I deluded myself into thinking I'd get rich off of it.
Have you all been in this spot for a long time? Fabi replied: - Almost 5 years in this same spot, we're practically a tourist attraction around here by now. Tatiane said: - About 5 or 6 years now.]
What type of client seeks you out the most? Fabi mentioned: - A lot of married men who just want something casual, away from their wives. There are also a lot of older, needy men who want company. Tatiane took a little longer to answer: - A bit of everything. Young ones, old ones, Black, white, a little bit of everything.
Why did you choose the area around Quinta da Boa Vista, here in São Cristóvão, specifically? Tatiane replied: - I chose it because it's easy to access by car and it takes you to any part of Rio you want. Also because there are already a lot of girls working with this around here, it's easier to get clients. Fabi said: - São Cristóvão is great for getting clients, I've worked in Copacabana and Lapa, but in São Cristóvão was where I got the most clientele. From here you can get anywhere in Rio.
We preferred to end the interview with that question, since time is precious for someone who lives life as a sex worker. Although it was very brief, it allowed us to get to know Fabi and Tatiane a little better.
* The interviewees' names are fictitious.
