Not many people know about this Wall Street culture that exists behind all the curtains. Nobody ever talks about it, but it’s always there. It’s not in the brochures, not on any Linked In or in alum channels where MDs speak of grit and ambition. But if you’ve been in banking long enough, you’ve seen it: the casual, almost routine use of sex workers.
It starts subtly with a closing dinner that turns into a members-only night. An offhand comment from a VP: “You staying at the Mercer tonight? I know a girl.” At first, you’re not sure what you’re hearing. Then you realize it’s part of the rhythm here, part of how certain people unwind after 100-hour weeks, missed birthdays, and non-stop pressure to deliver.
Nobody acts like it’s scandalous; it’s treated the same way you would treat a car service or a bottle of Macallan, just another perk of making it to the next level in the company. I’ve seen senior memebers, married with two kids, excusing themselves from a team dinner and returning half an hour later, looking recharged. No one blinks; it’s all perfectly normal.
Now, to be clear, not everyone does it. But it’s not very rare either. There is a whole ecosystem built around the lifestyle, private numbers, discreet services, and hotel rooms booked under assistant names. Sometimes, it’s about bundling into client entertainment, writing off under vague T & E categories. Some other times, it’s about coping with the stress, numbing out the sleep and filling the void with something that nobody can question.
What’s striking isn’t the behaviour itself but it’s how normal it becomes. You stop reacting. You stop judging. You start assuming. And in a culture where performance is everything and image is tightly managed, it’s ironic how little effort is spent hiding this side of things.
I’m not writing this to uncover that banking is the worst industry to be in; it happens everywhere, and I’m not here to preach. But if you’re on the outside looking in, you should know that beneath that billion-dollar deal and buttoned-up personas, there is a darker, quieter reality. Driven by the need to feel in control of something because everything else seems to be out of control and overwhelming.
This is something nobody wants to admit or brag about but practice this. And for the best or worst, everyone knows, but nobody wants to ask or say anything about it.