It's been euphemistically referred
to as "mutually beneficial, transactional dating" but is the growing
world of "sugar daddy" relationships just a sanitised term for sex work?She decided to start sleeping with older men for money while she was at university. "I love sex," says Freya. "And you know, I'm pretty good at it. So getting a sugar daddy - or two - was a no-brainer really."
Freya is one of a growing number of debt-ridden university students in the UK who have decided to become "sugar babies". These young women agree to be wined and dined by rich, older men who are known as "sugar daddies", in return for cash and gifts.
"My married sugar daddy gave me about £1,000 a night," says Freya reflectively. "He was just in it for the sex. My divorced sugar daddy gave me between £1,000 and £2,000 as an allowance."
Freya had worked hard to make ends meet at university. "I was working two jobs in my first year," she explains "It was awful - £5 an hour in bar work mainly and it was really affecting my studies. But this way, having my sugar daddies, I was able to concentrate 100% on my work and I got a First in the end. I mean, yes, it's prostitution really but I think there's such a ridiculous stigma attached to that word."
Despite acknowledging she was involved in sex work, Freya maintains she exercised a degree of control. "They were really attractive guys - I chose very carefully."
Freya's mother Mary agreed to be
interviewed at the same time. She seems unfazed by her daughter's choice
of career. "Actually I was quite proud of her," says Mary, shrugging.
"I think it's a brave thing to do and I'm glad she wanted to discuss it
with me. Of course my friends were all pretty aghast."
Money was tight for the family, Mary says. She was divorced and had other children to put through university too. Read the rest of the revealing story on BBC.
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