A former sex worker in Denmark is sharing her story to warn young women about the dangers of selling sex. Pernille Viking, now 30, worked as a sex worker for two years starting at age 18. She says the experience left lasting trauma, including anxiety, shame, and difficulty connecting sex with love.
A Turning Point After Two Years
Pernille Viking didn’t realize that one evening ten years ago would change her life forever. She was 20 years old and had been selling sex for two years. During what was supposed to be a BDSM session with a private partner involving dominance and painful acts, something unexpected happened.
She was on her knees and had just been slapped when her partner suddenly stopped. He wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and asked a simple question: “Do you actually know what you’re doing?”
He sensed a vulnerable and fragile young woman who was running away from something. Viking admits that’s exactly what she was doing. She used sex to feel good enough about herself.
That moment of unexpected care made something click for the 20-year-old. She never returned to sex work after that day. Today, she lives a completely different life as a cosmetician, mother, and partner in a loving relationship.
How It Started
Viking wants to challenge the myth of the “happy sex worker.” She’s now speaking publicly about her experiences because she believes young women need to understand how easy it is to cross personal boundaries when selling sex.
When she first tried getting money for sexual services through “sugar dating” at 18, she was surprised by how easy it seemed. What began as exchanging anonymous photos with men gradually evolved into physical meetings.
Her first in-person encounter took only 15 minutes, and she made 5,000 kroner. As she met with more men, someone eventually offered to arrange everything for her. That’s when things escalated into what she describes as full prostitution with advertisements and third parties involved.
Crossing Boundaries Without Realizing It
Viking describes her progression into sex work as a slow slide. She crossed her boundaries every single day without actually noticing it, she explains. Many of her sexual services involved BDSM with dominance and violent acts. Looking back, she believes she used it as a form of self-harm to feel something.
Because she was vulnerable and afraid to say no, she ended up doing things she didn’t want to do. If you’re a vulnerable young woman who’s scared of refusing, you wind up in situations you never intended, she says.
The consequences have been severe and long-lasting. For the past ten years, she has lived with anxiety, shame, fear of being recognized by former clients, and difficulty connecting sex with love. She reacts strongly to certain sounds and has experienced what she considers direct consequences of violating her own boundaries.
Questioning Whether Sex Work Can Ever Be Healthy
Viking doesn’t believe anyone can thrive in sex work, even when it’s chosen freely. She challenges others to find someone in the industry who hasn’t experienced something traumatic. She refuses to believe it can be good or healing.
In her view, sex should involve a connection between people. When money becomes involved, you’re simply a commodity. She emphasizes this is her personal opinion and not meant as criticism of individual women.
However, the Sex Workers’ Interest Organization (SIO) in Denmark offers a different perspective. They note that personal stories are important but shouldn’t be generalized to apply to everyone who sells sex. The organization hopes more sex workers will share their experiences and that politicians will take their voices seriously.
SIO points out that boundary-setting can be difficult for many people, regardless of whether money is involved. They’re calling for political solutions that address the actual living conditions of sex workers, including better options for reporting violence and threats, plus more information about rights for young people entering the industry.
Healing Through Sharing Her Story
For Viking, speaking publicly has been part of her healing process. She only began sharing her story a year and a half ago. Before that, she carried the burden alone, and her life felt ruined by the weight of her secret.
She wants to show that this can happen to ordinary people. Even when someone’s current life looks completely normal, they may carry an unconventional past. Today, she’s writing a book about her experiences because she wishes someone had warned her when she was young.
Viking hopes to be for others what she needed back then: someone willing to stand up on television and tell the truth. Her message is clear. When you’re in that situation, you don’t see what you’re actually selling. You might get money for it, but it’s not worth the price.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Is Prostitution Legal in Denmark?
The Danish Dream: Best Therapists in Denmark for Foreigners
TV2: Hun troede det var lykken at sælge sex men så ændrede en person alt
