Manuel Hurschmann is a qualified social pedagogue and runs the hustler project "Nighthawk" of the Essen AIDS service organisation. He tells us about the many reasons why men offer sex for sale and the working conditions of the providers, which can vary greatly.
When it comes to people prostituting themselves, many people react with feelings of bias and rejection. However, many forget that it is also a recognised profession - even if not every provider takes advantage of this opportunity. And just as with any other profession, there are a variety of highly individual motives that motivate a man to become active in sex work. Conversely, however, this does not mean that every provider declares sex for sale to be their profession. This is because there are many who only see it as a form of survival strategy or define it as a way to improve their life situation. It is therefore clear that the topic of sex for sale covers a broad spectrum, which I will try to illustrate below.
The Internet is probably the most common place to meet someone. However, this requires two prerequisites that sound simple at first: Access to the Internet and the ability to communicate in writing. In some cases, however, others take over communication with the customer, for example when working in an agency. Some agencies operate like a brothel and have their own rooms, while others only visit their clients in their hotel or at home. Those who work there do so quite professionally and tend to do so regularly.
As the name suggests, this is less the case with so-called casual prostitutes. They either use their normal user profile on the blue pages or have an escort profile, respond to requests from clients or write to clients themselves. They often use this to earn some extra money. The money earned in this way is used for a variety of purposes, ranging from buying addictive drugs to buying the latest designer clothes and optimising BAföG.
And of course there are a large number of very professional providers who would never describe themselves as hustlers, but always as escorts and are not affiliated with an agency. Some work full-time, others part-time. As a rule, they also have a corresponding "initiation profile". Among them you will also often find providers of an advanced age. Older providers in particular often specialise in specific sexual practices. Some describe this as their dream job. They either work in their own studios or visit clients at home or in hotels. Professionalisation can go as far as stating your tax number in your profile text. A professional escort is characterised by the fact that they have very precise ideas about the scope and limits of their services - precisely what constitutes a genuine service.
But there is also another side to sex for sale: poverty prostitution. More on this in the next blog post in the coming days.
