Speaking as someone who sees things from the other side of the fence by dint of having drifted into several OTC friendships with dancers I have noted several psychological effects.
(a) Trust.
Dancers are very slow to trust people. Working in an environment where they are often treated poorly by men who think they are an easy sexual conquest, makes it difficult for them to react to the small percentage of genuine people they meet.
(b) Stigma of job.
Because taking off your clothes for a living is often regarded as a sexual service rather than just entertainment, there is a stigma attached to it. Many dancers are very defensive about what they do for that reason.
The need to keep what they do secret from except all but a very trusted circle of close friends and family also seems to impose a strain.
(c) Attitude towards men.
Dancers sometimes seem to have difficulty in treating men they meet outside of work, (and who may be completely unaware of what they do), differently from the men they meet while working, (and who have a very different agenda from the men they meet outside of work.)
In extreme cases, there are one or two dancers who treat every guy they meet as a wallet to be emptied, irrespective of the situation in which they meet him.
(d) Effect on self esteem.
Some dancers seem to develop low self esteem as a result of working as a stripper. They then seek ways of bolstering this esteem. At worst case this can mean them getting involved with totally inappropriate men, leading to them having a poor a time outside of work as they do in it.
One dancer I know has a husband who physically abuses her and runs up debts for her to pay, yet she lacks the confidence to leave this pr*&k.
(e) Physical contact.
Again, some dancers seem to develop a dislike of even innocent physical contact. When I first met one dancer it was hug and peck on the lips. Over about 18 months this became hug and peck on the cheek, and then quick hug, all at her request - and this is someone who likes and trusts me enough to invite me round her flat for meals.
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Some dancers seem to cope very well with the effects of dancing and some, sadly, are changed, either temporarily or permanantly, by their choice of profession.
Going back to my earlier point, I think a lot of this stems from stripping being seen as a sexual service, rather than entertainment. Change the perception, and I think many dancers would have a much easier time.
Phil.



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I believe you Dottie and you have my support 



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