Male sex workers: the hidden truth

While half of sex workers in the UK are men, the violence portrayed against escorts is an issue for both genders.

The modern perception of a male escort is far from reality. Credit: Pixabay

Spending a night with an escort boy is still seen as a social blind spot. Yet the idea behind the industry for many women stereotypes a hot guy working in a black suit, bringing you to fancy restaurants and making you feel like you’re the prettiest.

While most of them are choosing to do it for money. they are certainly not signing for hard-times with clients. “I earn a lot more than in any other industry,” says Bastian, 30, who has been working as an escort for more than a year.

The street-based aspect of sex workers is considerably increasing the risk of violence for male escorts. Drug use, rapes, vulnerability to HIV - women aren’t the only ones facing the dangerousness of having relationships with strangers. Of course, when working through an agency, the risks are less serious, but still the industry is under a constant exposure to violence.

For some workers, the use of alcohol and drugs is a must when having encounters with clients. On the contrary to what some may think, when working as a sex worker, life is not always rosy - whether or not a client wants to have sex, they may have some disagreements about that. “We are in this to make women happy,” adds Bastian, meaning if some of them request not to use a condom to make the most of the act, or asking for violent sexual intercourse, “you have to do as they wish”.

All things considered, it is no surprise that men working in the sex industry are subject to victimisation at the hands of clients.

Find out more about the male escort industry in our March issue.