Exploitation of Gay male escorts

The business of male escorting though widely patronised by a huge chunk of the population is still openly discriminated against, sometimes even by some patrons, and this gives room for a lot of activities of exploitation, especially of young gay male escorts. Here are some ways gay male escorts are exploited:

1. 1. A large number of them are reportedly being taken advantage of especially by much older men and because they’re mostly minors and usually do not speak up for themselves.

1. 1. Unlike other kinds of escorting where escorts work from escort agencies, from home, massage parlours etc, gay male escorts often ply their trade on the streets. They don’t have the luxury of an organisation to cover them and defend them in instances of exploitation.

1. 1. These boys have no choice but to work on the streets, bars and so on. They can thus be exploited financially, seeing as there is no organisation protecting them financially by setting a standard/minimum price for them. On the streets, there is usually no time to negotiate prices and in order for them to at least make some money, these boys are forced to take ridiculously low prices, not at all commensurate with their services. In extreme cases, exploiters have been reported to lure gay male escorts to offer their services with a promise to pay them after, then refuse to pay and threaten them if they complain.

1. 1. Some of these exploiters have dangerous sexually transmitted diseases and because of their disregard for these rent boys, have unsafe sex with them and transmit these diseases to them.

1. 1. Physical and sexual violence is also a common occurrence. These boys are sometimes raped and the rapists get away with it, as the boys will most likely not report such incidences due to the bias from the general society on their trade. People have problems seeing a raped boy as a victim as they would be more inclined to point out his choice to be on the streets instead.

These are some of the many problems of exploitation gay rent boys face. It’s unfortunate how predatory persons target them in their vulnerability and abuse them. Craig Collett, from Nottingham, England says that “In a society where homosexuality is one of the last taboos, the threat to expose a young boy already struggling to survive as having succumbed to the homosexual violation is a powerful threat”.

Authorities should take watch out for and take seriously any reports by young boys of sexual violation or exploitation. They shouldn’t assume young boys do not get raped or it’s their fault they were on the streets in the first place and should aggressively prosecute perpetrators of these acts of exploitation.

Also, the male escort institutions should seek to protect the rights of gay male escorts by setting up agencies where their services can be well regulated. Appropriate prices should be set as well as appropriate business relations and boundaries. Measures to check and prosecute exploitation should also be put in place to ensure the rights of these boys are protected.

In addition, these young boys should themselves be encouraged to speak up when being molested. It’s understandable that they may be afraid of being ignored or reprimanded because of their trade, especially in many developing countries, but in this day and age, it’s pertinent that they speak up for themselves. The attitudes of the population towards these set of people should also change as this would embolden these boys to make complaints about maltreatment.

The society rains fire and brimstone on perpetrators of rape towards young girls and this is exactly what should be done, but at the same time, gay male escorts should also be extended this same privilege of aggressive condemnation and prosecution of exploiters.

Health practitioners should also not ignore the fact that these gay male escorts are at great risk of being infected with deadly sexually transmitted diseases and should treat their problems with as much seriousness as girl child rape cases. They should not discriminate and ask why a young boy is on the streets at all and thus deprive him of treatment.