Why Joanna Exists... Prostitution is the provision of sexual favours for the purpose of material gains (money, drugs, food, a bed for the night, shelter, etc). At Joanna, we believe prostitution is intrinsically abusive and exploitative. For those involved, it is not a career choice but a survival strategy. Most psychologists believe the long-term psychological harm resulting from prostitution is comparable to that of rape or domestic violence.  The core experiences of violence and psychological trauma associated with prostitution are disempowerment and disconnection with others. Internally these experiences often cause a ‘split’ between the mind, body and spirit.