There has never appeared anything else in Jana´s life, causing her as much harm and troubles as this „enjoyable“ activity. Just 23, Jana has experienced more rises and falls than most people at her age. As soon as her need to do shopping got stronger than herself, Jana realized she has to find a way to get rid of her deep debt caused by her addiction to shopping.

The solution she found was high-end prostitution.

According to her, this is what she needs to do to not only pay off her debts, but to enjoy the standard of living she dreams of. That said, she admits her present life is full of moral hazard due to what she decided to do.

„As far as I remember, I felt confused at the beginning,“ says Jana about her unusual profession. „Now the feeling of confusion is completely gone. All the feelings are gone, in fact. While I am working, I am just aware that every moment spent with my client means money for me. So apart from being given gifts and being flattered by men, my main motivation to do this is the financial reward. Travelling with my clients to various countries means a lot to me, as well. On the other hand, I must admit I see some negatives to what I do. I told some of my friends how I decided to earn money and as they were not able to accept it, I lost them. I sometimes even have the feeling that I lost myself.“

Her story began the moment when Jana realized that she needed to be independent. „I was not happy living at home with my parents,“ she says of her teen years. „They were arguing all the time and it was really frustrating for me. I still don´t know why they agreed to remain living together after their divorce. Perhaps that´s why I wanted to leave home ever since I was 15.“

Not only was the relationship between Jana´s parents not ideal. Living in a small town called Stará Turá, 120 km north-west from the capital, Bratislava, did not offer considerable opportunities to become successful and wealthy, which was Jana´s personal ambition.

She describes her hometown as only comprising some family houses, church and the main street. Everybody knew about everything happening in the town. Most people living there were too simple for Jana. There were a few rich families, but hers did not belong to them.

„I hated the difference between wealth and poverty,“ she says. „I felt strong need to get out of there because I needed more space, more possibilities and the most important to me was anonymity.“

At age 18, Jana decided to leave her hometown and settle in Bratislava, the ideal place for Jana to live in. As the capital, the biggest opportunities are available right here. Jana was sure she didn´t want to leave her homeland. Her desire to win the feeling of independence didn´t mean that she was willing to take a risk of moving to another country to be a stranger there.

At the beginning, it seemed to her that everything is perfect. She passed her admission test to the University of Economics, got a well-paid job in an insurance company, and met a boy who she fell in love with. „Everything was wonderful, I felt like in a modern fairy-tale,“ she says. „I was successful, beloved and in love.“

Things started to go wrong after 10 months, when she found out her boyfriend Tom had been living with another girl for two years while going out with Jana.

Jana´s best friend Eva, who has known her since their childhood from back-home, describes the situation: „Since their break-up, Jana has started to be rather realistic and she doesn´t believe in people any more. I think she was really hurt by Tom´s 10 months of lies, and it affected her very much, although she never talked about it. Since that time she focused on earning money and studying hard.“

After one year of being a responsible student, with very good studying results in Business Management, and working 40 hours a week to earn around 600 EUR per month, Jana´s life started to bore her. Nothing special or surprising was happening in her professional and student life, so she started to long for a change. At first, she went to the shopping centers like Aupark and Polus once or twice in a week. She was able to spend 700 EUR for clothes in one day. She started to borrow the money from her friends and colleagues.

In the course of time, she became addicted and had to go to the shopping center every day to buy at least one thing. „I just needed to find anything interesting that could have brought me to life,“ she says. „This was the easiest way to get over the despair of my life.“

The consequences of her shopoholism were debts amounted to the sum of 10,000 EUR over five months. Jane felt endangered because she borrowed the money from private financial institutions and didn´t have enough money to pay off the debt. Representatives of those institutions warned Jana that if she doesn´t repay it soon, some accident could happen to her.

She needed to find a solution immediately. Then, in January 2007, she met an old classmate, Dominika, from her hometown. „I was really amazed by her new image,“ says Jana. „Expensive brands of clothes, driving a Mercedes, perfect smile. This was exactly what I longed for — certainty and luxury. She convinced me to try what she does.“

Jana´s first experience was an evening spent with four businessmen and Dominika in Casino. She introduced Jana to her potential clients and they were amazed by Jana´s beauty and intellect. „I felt strange, as the men were looking at me like I was some kind of product,“ she says. „I didn´t have to do anything yet, but I got 200 EUR. I liked it.“

The next time, Jana and Dominika went with one of those businessmen on a two-day trip to Piešťany. „The trip was an absolutely horrible experience for me,“ says Jana, but refuses to talk about it further, appearing disgusted. However, the reward convinced her to continue.

„As soon as I got used to this unusual work, it became my primary income,“ she says. „In the course of time, I started to find it pleasant to be flattered and courted by men and then, after sleeping with them, I obtained a lot of money.“

On the average, professional companion earns 300 EUR per hour, gets various presents, even a car, and can afford luxurious lifestyle and seems to be happy. The money is so good that Jana, who had worked as an insurance clerk for three years, decided to leave her job in August 2007. She claims that she needs to focus on her clientele and repaying of the debts.

Her interest in studying has disappeared, as well. She has postponed her studies for indefinite time and doesn´t know if she comes back to studying.

„There is nearly in all the cases like this curious past in the background,“ says psychologist PhDr. Etela Hrapková, an impartial expert unknown to Jana. „In Jana´s case, the main reason of her problem might have been the stressful environment at the time of her growing up. Jana is trying to solve her financial problems and is willing to bear the consequenses of her acts and that is positive. On the other hand, when she claims that she doesn´t feel bad about what she does, she suppresses her own natural emotions, which means the ability to recognize the right from wrong. Now it is important to motivate her – her family and friends should try to direct her so that she can find out what she really wants.“

Jana sees only the present – the past is too frustrating for her, and the future too mysterious.

At the moment, she says has everything she wants – except for non-material values. However, she doesn´t know love any more. Even her relationship with a boy, who knows what she does, lasting one year is not based on feeling but on instinct.

Her debts still have not been fully repaid, as she always spends more and more money. She says she doesn´t know what to do. She also says she doesn´t know if she is „happy.“