I went on an OAP tour with my mother-in-law and it ended in me becoming a madam in a brothel – I was bored of being mum
A GRAN who went on a day trip tour of a legal brothel with her mother-in-law – and ended up working as the madam there.
Dena Duff joined her “terrified” mother-in-law, who was in her 60s, on the “wild’ over-50s ladies” day out to tour the luxury Sheri’s Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, and enjoy a spot of lunch.
The 53-year-old, who says she didn’t know what a brothel was before she stepped over the threshold, accompanied her ‘terrified’ mother-in-law who refused to go alone back in 2006.
While exploring the licensed resort the incumbent madam pulled Dena to one side and offered her a job on the spot.
Mistaking it as an offer to become one of the courtesans a blushing Dena declined, however the lady in charge confirmed it would be a staff role.
After mulling over the offer the gran-of-five, who’d become bored of just being a full-time mum, decided to take her up on the offer.
Initially starting out as a part-time hostess in April 2006, she worked her way up to shift manager before taking over as Madam Dena in July 2007.
Having worked in political exit polling and done a stint in accounting, along with raising her kids, Dena claims her experience helps her be the best madam she can be.
Dena, from Pahrump, Nevada, US, said: “My mother-in-law is part of an organisation where retired women get together and do fun stuff. When they get together, they’re wild.
“They make me blush, and that takes a lot in my line of work.
“One of the things they put together was to go and tour Sheri’s Ranch.
“My mother-in-law was terrified, she didn’t want to go by herself, and asked me to go with her.
“I was clueless, I didn’t even know what a brothel was before this.”
After taking a tour, the madam who was working there at the time then took her aside to ask if she wanted a job.
“I said ‘no I don’t think I’d be interested, but thank-you you just made my day’.
“She said ‘well I was thinking more along the lines of staff, I think you’d make a great hostess’.
At the time, Dena was a stat-at-home mum and confessed it all started because she wanted a break from her daily life.
“I used to work as a ‘grunt’ in political exit polling and I also worked in accounting for a long period of time.
“When you pool that all together, alongside wrangling a bunch of children, I transferred those skills to my role as madam, it’s been very rewarding.”
“I was clueless, I didn’t even know what a brothel was before this.
Dena helps the courtesans at Sheri’s Ranch set goals, with many using the cash to change their lives for the better.
Dena: “Some women want to put a down payment on a house, pay their way through school, or save to start their own business.
“Sex work provides these women with an opportunity to achieve those aspirations.
“I’m very proud of them because it isn’t just laying down and banging, it’s the experience.”
What is a brothel and are the legal in the UK?
What is a brothel?
A brothel is any premises, including a private flat or massage parlour, which is used by more than one worker for prostitution. If just one individual sells sex in a building, it’s not a brothel.
Are brothels legal in the UK?
Prostitutions itself is legal in England and Wales. However, soliciting in public, kerb crawling, pimping, and owning or managing a brothel are all crimes.
Some MPs want to see brothels decriminalised because the think the current law could discourage sex workers from working together in groups – which is generally safer for them.
In Sweden, for example, buying sex is a criminal act, but selling it is not.