They are occupying a brief period where sex work is white market enough to not be quite as dangerous or "disgraceful" as the old days, but not accepted or legal enough to be clobbered in competition by everyone else.
Feminism and their desire to legitimize sex work will be the death knell to high wages for sex workers, and eventually drive the sex workers asking for it to other occupations that suit their risk and profit appetite. ~50% of the population has a pussy and if it's seen as completely benign, legal, and normal to sell yourself the supply will go up 10 fold to the point it becomes a job every stay at home mom vies for while applying to be a transcriptionist or whatever else.
A brief period that has lasted for almost 24 years already. Livejasmin started in 2001 -- basically as soon as the internet and typical PCs could support streaming video. MyFreeCams started in 2004. I think the FriendFinder spin-off cams.com was in that time period too. All before Youtube was founded in 2005!
Your cam model acquaintance moved to Dubai, why do you think that is? It is a place full of rich people who want escorts and the price is bidding towards infinity because they're operating on a very toned down version of Shariah law that is in place to provide a tenuous balance between not killing the golden goose of Dubai and maintaining effectively an Islamic Monarchy.
She is chasing the grey line of risk, and Dubai is the sweet spot right now of risk:reward. When she is found out, the best she can hope for is a revocation of her visa and a swift kick out of the country.
She is not an escort. She is 40 years old with a family and owns a beauty salon in Dubai (and a chain of them back in Russia). She left webcam around 2010.
Feminism and their desire to legitimize sex work will be the death knell to high wages for sex workers, and eventually drive the sex workers asking for it to other occupations that suit their risk and profit appetite. ~50% of the population has a pussy and if it's seen as completely benign, legal, and normal to sell yourself the supply will go up 10 fold to the point it becomes a job every stay at home mom vies for while applying to be a transcriptionist or whatever else.