Mustang Ranch Brothel Madams Speak Against Sex-Trafficking

There's been a recent wave of ballot measures, petitions and initiatives across the state to ban legal prostitution. Now, brothel madams want to dispel what they say are common misconceptions about the industry. 

Madams at the Mustang Ranch brothel say they hear opponents comparing brothels to sex-trafficking, and they want to remove that stigma. 

The brothel requires the girls to meet several safety check marks. One working lady who goes by the name of "Cherry," says, "I do feel a little offended when they compare us to people that are just on the street, working illegally, because I have to go through a lot to work here. I have to pass a background check, I have to have a clean record, [give] my fingerprints."

Jennifer Barnes, a brothel madam at Mustang Ranch, says, "They get a work card in Storey County, the work card is good for a year. So they have to renew annually."

Tara Adkins, also a brothel madam at Mustang Ranch says, "They have to get a background check, through the FBI. So we personally, at the Mustang, do that to make sure none of our employees or girls are affiliated with any type of organized crime or anything." 

The girls typically work a couple of weeks on, a couple of weeks off.  Cherry says, "If you're going to be here for two weeks, you should finish out your two weeks because that's what they planned for." Jasper Dayton, a working lady at the ranch emphasizes they're free to leave if they want, "After our two weeks off, we can go wherever, whenever we want."

The madams also wanted to address concerns that the ladies don't get to keep the money they make.  Barnes says, "Everything is split 50/50, the ladies here at the Mustang Ranch get paid twice a week by check on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

All clients are required to show I.D and wear protection; but there are emergency switches in every room that the girls can discreetly flip, should they ever feel unsafe. Cherry says, "As soon as you hit that switch, you can hear feet thundering for you. Even if it's not an emergency, they treat it like an emergency." She continues, "So I've never felt unsafe."

While they recognize sex-trafficking is a very serious issue, they say the fight shouldn't begin with places like this. Adkins says, "Places like massage parlors and whatnot. You know, or in the streets, that's where we need to start. Not in the brothels."

The madams and the working ladies want to stress that anybody, especially those who are strongly against the industry, can tour the facility to better understand how they operate. 

Mustang Ranch Madams' full statement against sex-trafficking: 

"As the women that manage and oversee the employees and independent contractors at the Mustang Ranch, we wanted to express our sincere appreciation for all those that have and are dedicating their time to the staunch protection of women. We, like you, are passionate about ensuring women’s rights for equality and safety in the workplace. While we feel some of the efforts and proposed solutions might be misguided and misdirected, we are committed to the same cause and we are willing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in the critically important fight against sex trafficking and violence against women.

The Hollywood portrayal of prostitution ranges from a lavish and glamorous lifestyle to an illicit and dangerous activity full of pimps, drugs and the subordination of women. Movies like ‘Pretty Woman’ show women fighting over different parts of the street, giving their cash to a pimp to buy their protection and doing anything to make ends meet for the night. Films like ‘Moulin Rouge’ show the fabulous life of a diamond covered courtesan while also showing the entrapment that women face when living in a brothel. Despite their popularity, these representations couldn’t be further from the truth and only promote the misconceptions about legal prostitution and well-regulated brothels. In turn, these portrayals glorify and downplay the horrors many women face working illegally on the streets, in escort services and massage parlors or as victims of sex trafficking.

At the Mustang Ranch, we strive to provide the highest level of security and safety for our employees and independent contractors. Our owners and management are kind and respectful to all the women who walk through our door and have shown steadfast commitment to protecting and fighting against sexual misconduct or sex trafficking of any kind. Furthermore, thanks in part to the strict annual background check requirements we have in place, of the more than 3,000 work card applications we’ve received in our 15 years of business, not one of our workers or employees has ever been connected to the mafia, a drug cartel or been flagged as a victim of trafficking. Moreover, we are like mothers and sisters to many of the women that work at Mustang and our foremost priority is their safety and to ensure they are only working here because they choose to.  

We fight to protect and, in many cases, save the women who walk through our door. We go face-to-face and toe-to-toe with the pimps and drugs dealers who fight to control women and we help them refocus their lives away from crime, violence and fear. While we manage the daily operations at the Mustang Ranch, we also take on the roll of confidant, mentor and advisee to these women by helping them secure photo identification, social security cards or immigration work papers. We work to empower the women that work here and, for those that need it, we help them detox off drugs, clear up any pre-existing criminal records and set up their lives for the future.

On behalf of everyone that works at the Mustang Ranch, we, the madams and managers, staunchly stand for the rights of women and to protect those that are oppressed by the dangerous lifestyles of illegal prostitution, escort services, massage parlors and more. We stand with all those willing to fight with us to ensure that these illegal avenues are removed from our society and that our legal and regulated institutions are preserved and we look forward to finding meaningful, effective solutions that further the opportunities for women long into the future."