RENT BOYS:

THE RELATIONSHIP OF

CHILDHOOD AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

IN THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF

MALE

PROSTITUTION

BY: IWA MAJEKODUNMI

ABSTRACT

Adult male prostitution has tended to remain in the shadows of female prostitution, and is a
practice whose existence many would prefer to deny. Images of male prostitution have
tended to be more concerned with denouncing and reviling the practice, rather than seeking
a common understanding of why it persists. It is as a result of the onset pandemic of HIV and
AIDS, that attention is now being paid to; and acknowledgement is now being made of male
prostitutes or commercial sex workers . This has also taken the spotlight due to various
scandals over the last two decades. Rent boy scandals have entailed more recently,
members of parliament, Liberal Democrats Simon Hughes and Mark Oaten (News of the
World, Feb 2006), and also White House officials (the Times, 30 June 1989) amidst countless
others. In light of these revelations, it seems extremely hypocritical for many at the level of
power to openly malign and condemn male sex workers, when some are frequent
consumers.
Humorously portrayed as hustlers and gigolos in films, the reality of the world of a rent
boy, is far from sanguine. As increasing literature has developed on the subject, the
popular image of a rent boy has epitomised that of a teenage runaway from a poor, abusive
and unhappy home, who drifts into the big city without money or shelter and is forced into a
world of sexual exploitation. Though this still has some relevance, there is evidence to
suggest that there are other reasons why many young men become commercial sex
workers.

Table of Contents
I.

Chapter 1
A.

B.

Introduction
1.

Definition of male prostitution

2.

The Legal Framework of Prostitution

Research Focus
1.

The London Scene

2.

II.

Chapter 2
A.

B.

III.

Literature Review
1.

Background of Male Prostitution

2.

Effects of Childhood

Accepted characteristics of Rent Boys

1.

Pathway to Prostitution

2.

Distorted Sexualities

Chapter 3
A.

Methodology
1.
2.

B.

IV.

Sex workers support agencies

Aims /Hypothesis
Ethical Considerations

Research Analysis
1.

Method

2.

Observations

Chapter 4
A.

Results Summary

1.
B.

Respondents Overview

Figures and Tables

1.

Data Collation and Quantitative analysis

2.

V.

Comparative analysis

Chapter 5
A.

Evaluation
1. Qualitative Analysis

B.

VI.

Problems and Limitations of Data

1.

Difficulty in keeping a clear focus

2.

Unrepresentative Sampling

Chapter 6
A.

Discussion
1.

Conclusion

2.
B.

Recommendations

References
1.

Bibliography
2. Appendices

Chapter 1
A - Introduction
1: DEFINITION OF MALE PROSTITUTION
There has been very little research devoted to the etiology of male prostitution. This is
extremely surprising in light of the fact that there has been countless publications on the

topic of female prostitution. Sex work or prostitution is defined for the purpose of this
research, as any activity consisting in the provision of sexual services solely or primarily for
remuneration (Dorais 2003). Male prostitutes are popularly referred to nowadays, as rent
boys or male escorts.
Prostitution, in most peoples minds is still seen as a primarily female profession. This is one
of the oldest ever professions that has been in existence for centuries. Male prostitution is as
old as the female variety, but remains a clandestine activity. It was known, accepted and
even licensed during the Roman period, but research on this subject has always centred
around women servicing men. The reality is that men procure sex from other men, just as
easily as they do from women.
In ancient Rome it was very common to have boys brothels all over the city, while other
males took to the streets prostituting themselves, showing off their assets to lure potential
customers. In large public baths, many young males plied their trade continually, and it
seems that this tradition has carried on today, where in many towns and big cities large
public parks remain as sites where rent boys1 and their clients meet.
According to Dorais (2003), before the appearance of the homosexual / heterosexual
dichotomy in public awareness, male to male relations were considered acceptable and the
norm, from the viewpoint of the active partner. The passive partner being considered
effeminate, and so fulfilling the male, female roles. In some towns and cities single men
have oftentimes outstripped the number of available women in many cases and this gave
momentum to rise in the number of male dominated brothels. Here, many young men from
runaways to those penniless or seeking adventure often ended up. Indeed, throughout the
past until present, destitute young men with no jobs or other means of survival or support
have willingly prostituted themselves to other men or women for money.
Sex between males is more prevalent than ever, and the frequency of this, belies the fact
that there is such opposition to the idea of male prostitution or even to the idea of
homosexuality. The issue of homosexuality is also an issue in itself, in that there is a grey
area in defining male prostitutes and their clients as homosexual, as many of them would
not thus classify themselves thus and would fervently deny this. Male prostitution is rife
throughout society and if we look at prisons for example there is ample evidence to suggest
that there is a great amount of sexual activities going on between inmates, and it is often
1

The terms: rent boys , male sex workers, male escorts hustler male prostitutes, used interchangeably.

the practice for newcomers to provide a protector with sex in return for his protection, and
this is blatantly a form of prostitution. The act of paedophiles is somewhat similar, in that
when a grown man abuses a young boy, the child is often given some money or a sweet as a
form of compensation.
The aim of this research is basically to understand and look at the reasons why men choose
a profession, such as this which requires them to have sex with other men, even though in
the natural setting of things, some would not willingly do so. In itself, the field of male
prostitution is incredibly diverse and not as simplistic as it appears, as there are different
categories of sex workers; escorts, models, masseurs, dancers, strippers, models etc.
This study intends to focus on the factors contributing to why and how, young male become
prostitutes; looking beyond popular stereotypes and misconceptions, as it would be
impossible to comprehend commercial sex without an initial understanding of its
practitioners motivations.

2 - THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF MALE PROSTITUTION

Traditional official acknowledgement of male prostitution have to a huge extent, been
influenced by the Wolfenden Committees report on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution
published in 1957, which sought to preserve public principles by moving the issue ..behind
closed doors... (As quoted by Barrett ed. 1997:139-40).
Unless a deliberate attempt is to be made by society , acting through the agency of the
law, to equate the sphere of crime with that of sin, there must remain a realm of private
morality and immorality which is, in brief and crude terms, not the laws business. 2
Furthermore Wilson and Arnold argue that ..there is no legitimising ideology for homosexual
prostitution as there is with heterosexual prostitution, which condones the practice whilst
condemning the female prostitute. (1986 as cited in Moore and Rosenthal 1993:174).
Regardless of this, male prostitution is not illegal; rather it is the intent to seek a customer
in public that is illegal.
The Sexual Offences Act 19563, states that It is an offence for a man persistently to solicit
2

The Wolfenden Committee Report on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution in England 1957

Section 32

or importune in a public place for immoral purposes, although males are more frequently
charged with offences under the Highways Act 19804, which states that if a person, without
lawful authority or excuse, in any way wilfully obstructs the free passage along a highway,
he is guilty of an offence liable to a fine (Gibson 1995:168-169). Because this relates to
obstructing the highway, it is often a preferred point on which to arrest individuals, as it
negates the need for police justification of the point of persistence.
Regardless of the law, many men are not put off from going into prostitution.

B. RESEARCH FOCUS
1: THE LONDON SCENE
Like everything in life, everyone and everyplace has something unique about it. My research
focus is to look at the rent scene5 in London. As I live in London, it made sense for me to
limit my study to this city, as it is within close proximity for my first hand investigation,
without my having to rely too much on second-hand information or long distance
communication.
As my sample is geographically limited with quite a small sample group (of 12), I felt that
together with existing literature on male prostitution, it would allow for an in-depth study to
be carried out. My expectations in doing this, is that issues specific to only London may arise
and this may allow for further areas of study to develop and also allow me to explore the
dynamics of the London rent scene.
2: SEX WORKERS SUPPORT AGENCIES
Support organisations have sprung up all over the country that are dedicated to helping
male and female sex workers in their chosen profession. It seems to me that because there
is this network providing support and a zone of tolerance, many young men now feel able to
enter into prostitution, when in actual fact they might not have done.
This has been done to help control the negative aspects of prostitution and to give many
rent boys a place where they can gain advice and shelter. These programs help many male
prostitutes to cope with their lifestyle. They offer them job safety, psychological counselling,
relocation and health and medical care.

Section 137

Term used to describe the male prostitution arena.

As the website of SW5

states: the world of male and transgender work has changed

enormously over the last five years or more. With things like the advent of mobile phones
and the internet, changes in the law around the age of consent for men having sex with men
and pornography, the sex industry has developed rapidly. There seems to be less visibility of
sex being sold and exchanged on the streets of London and more through mobile phone
contact via Cafes, bars, adverts in the press and also through the internet.
In contrast the Barnardos website7 has a conflicting view it states that young men dont
choose prostitution, they are forced into it. It is interesting to see the different views here,
but this may be due to the fact that it reflects the different purposes of the two agencies;
SW5 is principally there to support male sex workers, while Barnardos function is to protect
boys or guys they see as being sexually exploited, so for them prostitution is viewed
negatively.
CHAPTER 2
A - LITERATURE REVIEW
1: BACKGROUND OF MALE PROSTITUTION
There are numerous written books, papers and theories on the subject of male prostitution.
It has been found that the experience during childhood of many rent boys, has had a
profound effect on their later years. Surveys have yielded abundant evidence that many rent
boys had suffered early social and emotional deprivation and some had been exposed to
appalling conditions (D.J West and Buz de Villiers 1992:6). They also state that parental
squabbling, desertions, drunkenness, emotional coldness or violence meant that few had
received consistent and stable parenting during their formative years. This may be
indicative of the fact that, as a result of a deprived and unemotional childhood, many of
these young boys turn to strangers via prostitution in an effort to create emotional
attachments they lacked during their childhood.
It has been found that prostitution tends to attract those children who are runaways and
homeless; the unemployed and unskilled drifters, from deprived and neglected backgrounds
who are often the products of broken homes (Boyer 1989:151-84). Furthermore it seems that
many children have poor educational backgrounds, often have criminal records and a history
of care, and frequently have experienced prior physical and/or sexual abuse. (Wooden 1976
6

Website - www.sw5.info

Website - www.barnardos.co.uk

in Schaffer and DeBlassie 1984:690) However despite the similarities, the most notable
division between male and female prostitution is that females tend to participate in
heterosexual practices, whilst male activity is predominantly homosexual, with a client base
that tends to consist of married, and either bisexual or covert homosexual men from a
..variety of social and occupational backgrounds.., who seek anonymous sex, but whos
advancing years render them unlikely to obtain this without payment. (Markos et al
1994:125).
It seems then, that there is an image being generated. The unhappy antecedents of many
male prostitutes, has now become the set type of boys who become prostitutes, although
it is important to note that not every child born into similar circumstances, will eventually
resort to this; therefore we need to take into account that there are other determinants.
Schaffer and DeBlassie (1984:690) argue that In all research, money is mentioned as the
prime motive, though McMullen (1988:38) states in his opinion, that monetary gain is
overestimated. According to Brown, Many prostitutes lack direct means of achieving social,
economic and personal goals.. and instead resort to illegitimate or alternative means to do
this. In this instance, sex is the means by which economic goals can be realised (1970:66579 in Schaffer and DeBlassie 1984:692).
Most, if not all, the literature on the subject of male prostitution cite the problem of sexual
identity as a determinant factor, in promoting entry into prostitution. Boyer suggests that
prostitution provides an identity and mode of conduct that is parallel to the cultural image of
the male homosexual, in that it provides ..a coherent context linking objective
understanding to homosexuality with subjective experience in the social action of
prostitution. (1989:154). However, contrary to this is Burkes statement that ..sexuality is
not the most important factor.. (Burke 1991:24), it may be suggested that these males
..drift into same sex relationships, and often by late adolescence have a full blown identity
crisis (Schaffer and DeBlassie 1984:694). In Boyers opinion, Given the constraints of their
situation: family rejection, sexual exploitation, and homosexual stigma, prostitution
[makes] ..sense.. (1989:176-7). This provides a rational view of prostitution as a means of
survival, when life options are limited.
Studies carried out by researchers show that the majority of boys involved in prostitution are
runaways and it is as a result of this homelessness that has reduced many to prostitution
and has rendered them susceptible, to those who prey on young boys, ..luring them...into
oblivion. (Wooden 1976 in Schaffer and DeBlassie 1984:691). For McMullen (1988:35) it may

be an act of ..preaching to the converted, as many boys are ..graduates of previous

prostitutional activities...
Bullens study on rent boys in Hollands sex clubs found that they were ..recruited by their
own pals, some by close friends., and that Boys were also recruited through social networks
on the street, at school or from local gangs.. (1996:103). This is a view shared by Cockrell
and Hoffman in their observation of a residential youth centre, where they discovered to
their surprise that ..all the boys knew each other despite their age differences and the fact
that they went to different schools and lived in different areas. They believed that
..vulnerability was exploited through a process of friendship and seduction until consent
[was]gradually won.., which was then rewarded and ..the boy [was]introduced to the
prostitution culture throughthe abuser or other boys.. They proposed that the Common
usage of language and mannerisms.. was indicative of a subculture, and that further
evidence could be found in their use of a ..code of secrecy.. in which communication was
frequently conducted through ..innuendo or sign language..
Despite their obvious friendships, the behaviour of rent boys is frequently described as
chaotic and power struggles within the group can be witnessed, possibly as a result of
emotional difficulties experienced by the boys and the ..highly competitive employment
market.. under which they operate that renders their relationships unstable (Allesbrook and
Swift 1989:138).

2: THE EFFECTS OF CHILDHOOD

For every grown individual, the period during childhood is very important, as this is what
shapes an individual in later life. From my literature review I have encountered similar
characteristics in the childhood of many sex workers. In many case histories, there is an
overwhelming dominance of periods of disturbance and conflict during their youth.
Emotional deprivation and gross physical neglect from their parents during childhood was
prominent problem among many prostitutes. (Janus et al. 1984), reporting on young male
street prostitutes in Boston, found that relationships with parents were mostly beset with
conflict, rejection and emotional disturbance. Another factor is childhood abuse, as many
reported incidents of sexual abuse by male family relatives, neighbours and other males.
(Gibson 1995), also shows the impact of childhood on several boys who later became
prostitutes. They all seem to have had difficult relationship with parent figures, be it their
father, mother or step-parents. All these boys had problematic relationship with men, as

result of the lack of a proper father figure. Adam, Zoes and Madsers fathers and
stepfathers were emotionally and physically missing from their lives. Simone suffered
rejection from her father, while Ryan and Paul did not know their fathers. From the boys
perspectives, men are seen as abusers. Only good for providing money and creature
comforts in exchange for sex. Their experiences with men left most of them feeling
disempowered, unless rewards were involved. All of these boys had unstable family
relationships and retaliated by being generally disruptive. They were also very much loners
and had no stable schooling.
B - ACCEPTED CHARACTERISTICS OF RENT BOYS
1: PATHWAY TO PROSTITUTION
From the literature review, they key identifiable themes with regards to entry into male
prostitution are:

Childhood Sexual Abuse

The belief that sex abuse in childhood is a precursor to male prostitution has become almost
a conventional belief, as according to Bolton et al. (1989), prostitution is simply a
continuation of earlier abusive sex.

Physical Abuse

Running Away

Running away is a possible response to an abusive or neglectful living situation (Nadon et

al., 1998, p. 208). This means that many young boys end up spending a lot of time and
living on the streets. A 1994 study of street youth carried out by (Caputo, Weiler and Kelly),
found that there was a correlation between amounts of time spent on the streets and
increased levels of involvement in criminal activities: such as prostitution, substance abuse
and theft. They also determined the "sex for survival" paradigm; money, food, a place to live
and emotional support.

Age

Various studies carried out in different countries around the world, have established that
many adult male prostitutes enter into prostitution at a very young age, mostly during their
teens. These studies have also shown that the younger prostitutes are, the more attractive
they are to punters. They are perceived as being less threatening and less likely to have
sexually transmitted diseases.

Lack of Money

Again, due to lack of proper qualifications and being quite young, employment opportunities
for these young men are extremely limited. This lack of opportunity leads many young
runaways, faced with poor financial situations, into the prostitution trade in order to survive
(Seng 1989, cited in Canadian Centre for Justice statistics 1993; pg 9). The discovery that
there is more money to be made through prostitution than by any other means encourages
continuation.

Drug Abuse

The prevalence of addiction to alcohol and other drugs is generally high among prostitutes.
Two main theories why prostitutes abuse alcohol and drugs are, firstly that youths turn to
drugs to help deal with difficult problems in life, such as dealing with sexual and physical
abuse and exploitation; the consequence of this being that many of these boys suffer low
self-esteem and depression and use drugs to numb emotional pain. Prostitution then
becomes a means through which to make money and to support a drug lifestyle.
Alternatively, it is believed that drugs are used as an escape, to help endure the degradation
and detrimental impact of the prostitute's work (Schissel & Fedec, 1999, p. 38).

Willing Clients

Homelessness

Confused Sexual Identities

2:DISTORTED SEXUALITIES
The topic of sexuality is problematic when it comes to male prostitution and very interesting.
There is a dilemma that exists here because of the fact that not all male prostitutes are gay.
As this research is concentrating mainly on male prostitutes that cater to male clients; there
is a stereotype that men who have sex with other men are gay. Existing research has shown
the fact that many sex workers are not really homosexual, thus fuelling one of the great
panics of the epidemic, namely the fear that male prostitutes would be vectors of infection
from the gay to the general community. Another view, sees the sex worker as really
homosexual, who uses the sale of his body as a form of legitimating for what is otherwise
perceived as unacceptable. It is commonly argued by gay men of a particular age and class
that there are a number of cultures where all men can be had for the right amount
(Aggleton 1999;14) . This view supports the idea that money is the most important reason
why predominantly heterosexual men, would be willing to prostitute themselves.

On the other hand many sex workers are openly gay while others strongly deny this identity.
For many men, sex work becomes a way of coming to terms with being homosexual .
Prostitution can be a way for a young man to come to terms with homosexual desires which
social pressures would deny (Aggleton 1999: 16).
There are many reasons why rent boys should sometimes want to deny homosexuality.
Stigma may have lessened, but it remains considerable, more especially among the workingclass adolescent peer group where the intimidation of those thought effeminate is a very
real threat. In confrontations with authority figures such as police, social workers, the staff of
penal establishments and would-be therapists they may hope to be more sympathetically
dealt with if they maintain the pose of reluctant victim of homosexual exploitation (D.J.
West 1992; 25)
The sexual orientation of male prostitutes is not easy to define because sexual feelings and
social identity do not always match. Among teenage boys, there are some whose attitudes
are ambivalent, whose erotic experiences are aroused in a multiplicity of situations and
whose orientation remains uncertain. Affection and sex can occur between males in the
absence of a basic homosexual orientation. Youths at the peak of sexual reusability can
respond to stimulation from almost any quarter and may do so to show gratitude to partners
who are far from ideally attractive. A firm sexual preference is not always established until
adolescent or later (Coleman 1989).
This shows how difficult it is to classify the sexuality of rent boys, as assertions that male
street workers are either all homosexuals or all heterosexuals are certainly fallacious (D.J.
West 1992; 22). There is certainly a grey area here that needs further exploration. As many
rent boys have experienced sexual exploitation at a very young age, it may be that their
sexuality pre-maturely developed into a homosexual orientation before it had a chance to be
properly explored and nurtured. Later on, many of these young men become confused and
some may develop an interchangeable sexuality.
CHAPTER 3
A - METHODOLOGY
1: AIMS / HYPOTHESIS
The conventional belief in society, is that prostitutes are disturbed or maladjusted
individuals. This research is designed to look beyond these stereotypes and look at other

crucial factors, that act as precursors into the world of prostitution. My hypothesis, based on
my literature review is that the impact of their childhood, for example sexual abuse /
exploitation, emotional abuse and neglect, physical / domestic violence) and so on, should
play a huge role in why men become prostitutes.
From existing research, there is growing evidence of a trend, where many straight guys are
now becoming prostitutes, primarily for economic benefit. My preliminary reading has
proved that there is no specific type of man, that is easily identifiable as a prostitute. In
other words, any man can or could be a prostitute, regardless of their sexuality.
Most of all I cannot predict exactly what I will find from my interviews, but I expect aspects
mentioned above present in my results.

2: ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
It was recognized that several factors had to be taken into consideration before I started my
research, as the very nature of my project was indeed very delicate and sensitive.
Consequently safeguards had to be put in place to guarantee adherence to strict ethical
guidelines and to maintain the veracity of my research .
I decided that it would be unwise to directly approach any male sex workers because it
would be fruitless to do so without any financial incentive. I decided upon the agency
approach, that cater for male sex workers. This way I was able to discuss with my contact
the purpose of my research in confidence and get advice on how to go about gaining
interviews. The two agencies I worked with are SW5 and Barnardos, from which I was able to
get a total of 12 interviewees, six from each place. This was not the original plan; the two
agency approach was because I could only get 6 volunteers from SW5 and this was too small
a sample, and after talking to some of my volunteers, I was able to get 6 more referrals who
had links to Barnardos. This has been positive in a way, because I hope distinctive
viewpoints will emerge from the fact that my sample is from two different environments.
Additionally care was taken to ensure a degree of professionalism, which I hoped would
facilitate continued access to all relevant information. After some discussion with my contact
at the agency, I was advised that telephone interviews would be the best way to gather the
information I wanted, as most guys would be more candid if there were no physical
influences around them. Many of my interviewees later told me, that it is much easier
speaking to someone you cant see, as they cant judge you. Thus, all communication was

made via phone calls, making and confirming appointments, advising the participants of the
current stage of research, and also expressing gratitude following interviews.
Furthermore all interviewees received written explanations regarding the nature of the
study, were informed that they could withdraw at any time, and that any information would
be treated anonymously. Finally, confidentiality was observed between myself and all the
participants, whom I offered to send a copy of my completed dissertation, if they so wished.

B - RESEARCH ANALYSIS
1: METHOD
The fundamental aim of this research was to present an accurate representation of young
male prostitution in London; therefore I decided to divide data collection into different
stages:
1) In the first instance an eclectic approach was adopted which allowed for the development
of a range of issues and provided a basis against which further data could be compared. As
the principal objective was to accumulate background information on the following themes:

1.1. Childhood and family background

1.2. Abuse= Physical / Sexual

1.3. Education

1.4. Employment

1.5. Entry into Prostitution

1.6. Renting

1.7. Sexual Orientation

1.8. Lifestyle= drugs / alcohol

two sources of data were utilized:

a) An extensive literature review was conducted using library resources, media archives and
Internet pages in an attempt to determine the primary issues around young male
prostitution (as is shown in Chapter 2).
b) Semi-structured phone interviews, which allowed for greater flexibility was undertaken;
numerous notes were taken during the interviews and were written up in full afterwards. My
sample consisted of twelve rent boys, as I was unable to get any more volunteers. Each

interview lasted for about two hours in total, with about three or more phone calls per
interviewee. (A copy of the interview questions and guidelines can be found in the
appendix). These interviews were all kept confidential and all my participants names are not
included this research project. Individuals are referred to instead as cases.
2) There followed a period during which the information was analysed, and consequently it
was possible for me to identify the key issues around male prostitution from my sample.
Subsequently I was able to gain responses to the questions from my questionnaire, which
was the objective.
3) Finally a second round of interviews were undertaken to narrow the focus of the
investigation and to examine certain aspects in greater depth. These interviews remained
largely unstructured as this approach had yielded a substantial amount of information during
interviews. This was also done for the purpose of the clarification of issues, which needed
further discussion. Afterwards all the data was coded and put into a frequency table and
analysed.

The interview codes employed are as follows:

AGENCY

CASES

SW5

BARNARDOS

CASE

AGE

NATIONALITY

AGENCY

A
B
C

22
24
26

BRITISH
BRITISH
TURKISH

SW5
SW5
SW5

D
E
F
G
H
I

17
19
26
22
20
23

BRITISH
UKRANIAN
RUSSIAN
BRITISH
SWISS
BRITISH

SW5
SW5
SW5
BARNARDOS
BARNARDOS
BARNARDOS

J
K

24
21

BRITISH
TURKISH

BARNARDOS
BARNARDOS

25

BRITISH

BARNARDOS

2: OBSERVATIONS
At the start of this project, it was expected despite careful preparation and planning, there
would be limitations and as the study progressed, these difficulties became more practical. I
decided that because my sample was from two different agencies, I would concentrate on
the respondents from SW5 and then those from Barnardos, so that there would be less
confusion.
Moreover I decided on an informal interviewing technique, as this was much more conducive
to my respondents, though on many occasions this meant that respondents tended to ignore
questions and instead, talk about their preferred topics. It was tricky trying to get some
respondents to answer certain sensitive questions (and sometimes they refused to), but
others were more than willing. As one of my respondents said, Case F said if you have
done half of what I have done, nothing embarrasses you anymore .
On the other hand, some respondents treated my interview as a form of therapy, and with
my limited time constraints, this was extremely difficult. Consequently, the amount of data
gathered from my interviews was plenty, which was challenging as the data had to be
coded. While revealing interesting issues, a lot of it had to be dismissed.
CHAPTER

A - RESULTS SUMMARY
1: RESPONDENTS OVERVIEW
The findings from my telephone interviews was quite surprising in some respects. Firstly a
brief summary of the 12 respondents:

Case A: Is a 22 year old Brit. Put up for adoption at 12 and has so far never met his real
parents.

Case B: A 24 year old Brit. Very abusive mother and left home at 16.

Case C: A 26 year old Turk. Lulled by the promise of easy money in London, but found it
difficult to get a stable job.

Case D: The youngest respondent at 17. An abusive, violent father and a poor home life,
with lots of siblings.

Case E: A 19 year old Ukrainian. Brought up by his poor grandparents and came to
London to be a model.

Case F: A 26 year old Russian. Very unhappy childhood, and started working at an early
age.

Case G: A 22 year old Brit. From a secure and caring stable family. Keeps in touch
frequently with both his parents.

Case H: A 20 year old Swiss. Parents divorced when he was 6, mother re-married with
frequent clashes with his step-father.

Case I: A 23 year old Brit. Always at odds with his father, who rejected and beat him and
drove him out of his home at 17, when his homosexuality was revealed.

Case J: A 24 year old Brit. Adopted at 3, treated badly by adopted parents and later
ignored when adoptive mother became pregnant.

Case K: A 21 year old Turk. Very unhappy childhood. Felt he was always different and was
scared to reveal his sexuality. Often picked on and beaten for his effeminacy.

Case L: A 25 year old Brit. Very happy childhood, with secure loving parents. Liberal
upbringing and a bit of a wild child.

The results below are based upon answers provided to interview questions (from my
questionnaire). Although not all questions were answered, these results are based only upon
all positive responses given by participants.
B: FIGURES AND TABLES
1: DATA COLLATION AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

1.1. Childhood and Family background

t s

Stable Family Unit?

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Yes

No

Response

In this section, respondents were asked questions about their childhood and their
relationship with their parents. As shown above, only 4 respondents had a stable family with
both their parents, while growing up.

The majority of respondents, 7 guys as shown below, had unhappy childhoods and only 2
respondents had very happy childhoods. Most respondents (7 /12) also admit to not being in
touch with their parents.

How was your childhood at home?

7

5
4
3

e s

o n d

e n t s

2
1
0

Very Happy

Normal
Response

Unhappy

1.2. Abuse= Physical / Sexual

Were you ever physically abused?

7
5
4
3

t s

2
1
0

Yes

No
Response

Almost all respondents said they had been physically abused. The majority by their fathers
(7/12 respondents) and in some cases by their mothers.

Were you ever sexually abused?

6

t s

5
4
3
2
1
0

Yes

No
Response

Only half of the respondents, as shown in this graph have experienced sexual abuse;
although as discussed in (part B), some respondents did not feel their experiences to have
been abuse. The three respondents who admitted real sexual abuse, said they had been
abused by family members.
As a result of abuse (mostly physical), most respondents (7 /12), ended up leaving home

early.
1.3. Education

t s

Do you have a higher degree education?

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Yes

No
Response

In this section, the majority of respondents said they went to mixed schools and almost all of
the respondents (9 /12) said they played truant. All respondents (but 1) finished secondary
school, but only 4 respondents, as shown above have a college level education ( but 2 of
these did not complete their degrees).

1.4. Employment

This section shows that most respondents have had a full-time job before, and thus, are able
to get regular jobs. Those that have never had regular employment are the non-residents of
other nationalities (the Turkish and Russian respondents said they could not get proper jobs
because they did not have the right documents).

Have you ever had a full-time job?

7
6

e s p o n d e n t s

5
4
3
2
1
0

Yes

No
Response

1.5. Entry into Prostitution

Age of Entry into Prostitution

A g e

(y rs )

20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Respondents

The general age for entry into prostitution from above, shows that most respondents entered
prostitution at the age of 15yrs. The youngest age of entry was 14yrs and the oldest age
was 20. The most common age of entry from this sample is between 17 - 19 yrs.

1.6. Sexual Orientation

Surprisingly, when it came to this section, some respondents found it difficult to give straight
answers.
The respondents who said they were

What is your sexuality?

heterosexual (5/12), were quick to express

money as their only motivation for hustling.

The 2 bisexual respondents, stressed their

free sexuality and all respondents had a
general problem with sexual labelling.

3
2

e s p o n d e n t s

1
0

Homosexual Heterosexual
Sexual Orientation

Bisexual

1.7. Lifestyle= Drugs / Alcohol

All respondents have used drugs before. Three did not give responses as they were not
current users. Of the 9 that answered, the most popular drug is Cannabis , Cocaine and
Ecstasy. All these respondents admit to being dependent on these drugs. Most respondents
cite the reason for the use of cannabis was for relaxation and Cocaine was to help them
work.

What type of drugs do you use?

4

e s p o n d e n t s

Heroin Cocaine Ecstasy Cannabi Other

Drugs

1.8. Renting

The main reasons for hustling initially according to respondents, was money and curiosity.
The respondents who cited money,

C. What led you to do this?

did this because the person

propositioning them offered to pay
t s
n

n
e

didnt know men could do this.

and three respondents said they

friends (6/12) and acquaintances

because they were told about it by

who were curious, mainly did this

them and they agreed. The others

10

2
0

Naivety

M oney

Curiosity

Reason

The most popular site of contact

Other

with potential punters are in bars, clubs and pubs for all respondents. The second popular
medium is through the internet; which respondents said made it easy to find new clients. All
said they had never picked up clients in toilets (a lot of literature sites this as being a
favourite pick-up location).

What do you spend most of your money on

10

e s p o n d e n t s

8
6

4
2
0
Food

Clothing

Rent

Drugs

Clubbing

Alcohol

Other

Response

Most respondents (10/12) spend most of their income on Alcohol. The other uses are for
buying drugs and clubbing. This shows where their priorities lie and there is no money spent
on anything significant like food and clothing, and this comes at the bottom of priorities.

Overall feeling about the 'Rent Scene'

R e s p o n d e n t s

5
4
3
2
1
0

Continue as prese Have more clients

Stop altogether

Response

Other

When asked about what they wanted to do in the future: 5 respondents said they would
continue as present, 4 respondents wanted to have more clients and 3 respondents wanted
to stop altogether.

2: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
1) The table below is a comparative analysis between:
A. Sexual Orientation

1=Homosexual

2=Heterosexual

3=Bisexual
B. Type of sexual services provided to punters

O=Oral

M=Masturbation

P=Penetrative

O/M

O/M

O/M

O/P/

O/P/

O/P/

O/M

O/P/

O/P/

O/P/

O/P/

O/M

The table above shows very interesting results, and at the onset of this project, I was keen to
compare the sexuality of rent boys and the type of services or sex they have with their
clients. Based on the accuracy of what respondents said, the table above shows a
correlation between sexuality and services rendered to clients. Homosexual and Bisexual
guys (Type 1 and Type 3 above) provided all types of sexual services to clients, while the
Heterosexual guys (Type 2 above), only provided oral and masturbation services to clients.
This was particularly interesting because heterosexual respondents defined homosexuality
as penetrative sex between two men and as long as they were not doing this, then they
were not gay.

2) This table is a comparison between respondents who;

A. Left Home Early
B. In touch with parents

The results here show that those respondents who left home early, are not in touch with
their parents, while those that who did not, are in touch with their parents. Case E, in this
case was the only exception.

3) This table is a comparison between respondents who:

A. Have been sexually abused
B. Physically Abused
c. Left Home Early
A

This table shows an association between abuse (physical and sexual) and early home
leaving. Half of the respondents that was physically abused, were also sexually abused and
these respondents left home early as a result. Three of the respondents that were sexually
abused, do not classify it thus (as is explained below in more detail), but is defined as thus,
because of their ages.

4) This table is a comparison between:

A. Where do you live
B. How much you earn per week ()
C. How much do you spend on drugs ()
A

350

350

300

400

450

400

500

300

550

500

200

500

N/A

200

N/A

250

N/A

150

N/A

150

250

300

150

N/A

These results show a relationship between respondents income and where they live. Those
that earn more than 300 per week, live in houses and apartments (Row A: Type 1 and 2
option). All the 7 respondents who use drugs, also seem to spend a lot of their weeks
earnings for this purpose.

CHAPTER 5
A - EVALUATION
1: QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
Childhood and Physical Abuse:
Firstly, it became clear to me from most respondents that their childhood did have an effect
upon their life choices. Most of my respondents besides Cases G and L, had lonely, unhappy
childhoods. Almost half of my respondents had stormy relationships with their parents,
especially their fathers.
Physical violence is a prominent feature with regards to many of the guys, with (7/12)
respondents physically beaten by their fathers.
Case Ds experience was especially brutal as he described he often did not need a reason
to start in on me, and he once beat me up so badly, I was hospitalised for a week with a
concussion, because he said my music was too loud. I had to have a blood transfusion and
50 stitches on my arms and legs. I later found out, why he hated me so much. It was

because I look so much like my mother and he thought she was having it off with someone
else, and I guess it was better me than her.
Case B also reported similar abuse, but from his mother: She just had it on for me and
whenever anything went wrong, she would lay into me. I think she had some mental
problems and she was always using drugs. After she beat me, she would always start crying
and telling me she loves me and that she didnt mean it. Eventually, when I got big enough
to defend myself, I just left.
Cases A & J were adopted, while Case E was brought up by his grandparents, all not having
known their real parents. All, but two of the respondents, had weak parental and familial
ties during their childhood. Only two respondents still keep in touch with their parents.

Sexual Abuse
The number of respondents who reported having encountered unwanted sexual attention as
a young boy under the age of 15, was (6/12); exactly half of the respondents. Interestingly
enough, all their experiences are not all negative. (3/12) described their youthful sexual
contacts as being one of mutual consent and willingness, so these cannot be counted as
instances of sexual abuse; though they are in the eyes of the law because of their ages at
the time. For instance, Case J, who was adopted at a very early age and rejected by his
adoptive parents, had a paternal relationship with an older man who lived next door and
who gave him presents and food making him feel safe and wanted. He felt the man loved
and cared about him. Case I, was molested by a teacher in his school when he was 11and
found that rather than feeling ashamed, he enjoyed the encounter and continued the
relationship with the man, who gave him gifts after every encounter.
Three respondents felt the sexual abuse they experiences during their youth had a negative
impact on them and their subsequent relationships. Case F was blunt and forthcoming:
My parents died in a car crash when I was just 5, so I had to go and live with my uncle who
was my only living relative. One night he came into the room I shared with his son and
started to touch and stroke me. He came back every time my cousins were not around and
would feel me up. One night he decided to take things further and raped me. He said it was
payment for having to put me up, when they were so poor and that if I told anyone, he
would kill me. I decided to get a job even though I was so young so that I could give my
uncle some money and he would stop touching me. He just laughed and kept on abusing
me, until I was old enough to defend myself.

The next two cases of sexual abuse are both very similar. Both boys were abused by older
men who touched them intimately, but they were too young to understand what was
happening to them. Case K said ..I was scared and I did not know what he was doing to me,
only that it was wrong. Afterwards, when I told my father, he beat me for what he said was a
sin.

Home Leaving:
(8 /12) respondents left home at a very young age, which is not surprising given their home
situation. Five respondents left because of the physical abuse they were experiencing at
home. Three ran away at a very young age because they were afraid and terrorised; one
respondent was afraid if he didnt leave, his father would end up damaging him.
Case I says: .it became especially bad when it became obvious that I was gay. He
refused to believe it and went into denial. That was when it became really bad. He would
beat me up almost daily, with his belt and slap me around, to toughen you up he said, no
son of mine will be a bum boy, as if that justified it. I was really scared he was going to kill
me and so I decided that if I left, then maybe his shame would go away and I would be
alright.
Two respondents left home early, because they felt there were better opportunities in
London for them. Cases C wanted to make money and had heard about the easy money to
be made abroad. Often he says many poor Turks go abroad and later you see the amount
of money they send back home to their parents. I too wanted to go and try my luck.
Case E also had similar sentiments. He says I have always been a good-looking guy and
people were always telling me so. So I decided I would go abroad, and join a professional
agency and make lots of easy money. How nave I was, so full of dreams and self
confidence.

Sexual Orientation:
Interestingly enough, this was by far the most difficult set of questioning for half of
respondents. In spite of their homogeneity (their jobs as prostitutes), respondents varied
greatly in terms of their sexual identities. From my sample(5 /12) guys identified themselves

to be predominantly attracted to males and to be homosexuals; 5 others identified

themselves as predominantly heterosexual and two as bisexual.
The guys that described themselves as homosexuals, were quick to point out that their
preference for men developed before they become rent boys. One guy pointed out that
becoming a rent boy helped him to reconcile being gay, as he was scared to admit it openly.
Another guy claimed that being a rent boy was his perfect job its like being paid to eat,
when you know you have to eat anyway or youll die.
Those guys that described themselves as bisexual and had sex with men, from what I
understood, did this under the logic of having fun and this way their manly identity and
heterosexuality therefore remained unaffected. According to Case F, Some guys consider
themselves to be gay, straight or biI dont care for these labels.they dont matter to
me.I consider myself to be just a guy only.if you call yourself gay, then thats your
right.If another guy does it to me, it doesnt make me less of a man. I like girls too. I can
do both and still remain a man. Those other guys, that do it only with men for pleasure
they are the homosexuals.
Case H who is very open about his sexuality, says, I consider myself bisexual, I do it with
men and women. Some call me AC-DC, confused. Whatever! I enjoy doing it, no matter what
sex they are. The variety makes it exciting for me.
Those guys that are straight, seemed a bit more defensive and kept trying to reinforce their
masculinity, by claiming that they were only in it for the money, and strongly denied any
links to homosexuality. For example, Case C , I am a very straight guy. I love women, but
my work is with men. Honestly for me, I feel more confident with the service I provide to
guys, still this does not make me gay.
The ratios of gay to straight men in this sample, suggests that any guy can become a rent
boy, regardless of their sexuality.

Money
10 respondents cited money as the most important reason for initially hustling. The
heterosexual guys claimed that this was the only reason they did it . 2 respondents, Cases L
& G do not have to hustle for money, as they are well off.

Case G explained that he did it out of curiosity and Case L explained that he was always a
wild child and he thought it would be a laugh. The attitude of both these guys shows that
hustling is not done solely for the purpose of money, as is widely claimed.
On the other hand, the rest of the respondents that do it for money, claim that it pays more
than a regular job would pay them and Case F said during his busiest period, he could make
a years salary in 4 months.

Entry into Prostitution

Most respondents reported having become involved in hustling as they called it, primarily
through being propositioned and through friends who told them about it. Half of the
respondents were propositioned, while the rest were indirectly recruited by friends. All the
respondents entered into prostitution voluntarily.
As case B told me, I got into hustling through a friend, who told me it was easy money. At
first I was unsure, but very curious and excited, so I did it. I was very nave and it was ok.
The guy gave me quite a lot of money.(laughing)..because he said I was pretty!
Case C says, One day I was sitting outside a Caf by myself, and ten minutes later, this guy
comes over, smiles and offers to buy me a coffee. I was very confused, but I went along with
it, after all he was paying! He later invited me back to his place and offered to pay me for
my time. Thats how it started for me.
All respondents stated the importance of sex work as being open to anyone, without the
need for qualifications and skills. This was especially important for Cases E & F, who have no
legal work permits and couldnt get jobs. Case F said that the internet has meant that risks
are eliminated and the only risk is if you get a crazy client.

B - PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS OF DATA

1: DIFFICULTY IN KEEPING A CLEAR FOCUS
The main focus of this research has been to explore the reasons why men become
prostitutes. Thus far, it has been testing trying to maintain a clear focus as many issues
have emerged which has been interesting, but deviating from the main investigation.

I encountered several difficulties while trying to do some internet research, which I thought
would provide a valuable source of information. Though useful, several WebPages contained
sensitive material, bringing up child prostitution promotional websites; and pages on male
prostitution contained highly pornographic content.
As my sample was a relatively small sample, I had to rely on this and on existing literature
as a reference point and this may has affected the direction of my research.

2: UNREPRESENTATIVE

SAMPLING

The sample I had to work with contained the views and opinions of only 12 guys. The nature
of this research, is such that many guys were unwilling to talk openly. Added to this is the
fact that at the onset of this project, many refused to take part because of the lack of
financial incentive, as I could not pay the guys for their time.
Most of my respondents are in their late teens and their twenties; with the youngest at just
17 and the oldest respondent at 26. From existing literature, I am aware that the ages of
rent boys vary up to those in their 30s and sometimes 40s. It would have been interesting
to have been able to interview older men and made comparisons with my sample. My
sample was made up of 7 British rent boys and 5 other foreign nationals, and it was
interesting that their views complemented each other. As the guys, half of them from SW5
and the other half from Barnardos knew each other (as one or two references were made
via these guys), this may have had an effect on the research, as friends often share the
same views, so this research sample may be thus biased.
Unfortunately, I was unable to interview rent boys from ethnic minorities (for example a
Black or Asian prostitutes). As a comparative study, it would have been interesting to
analyse their reasons and if these match up with the white perspective.
With regards to sexuality, from this research, there were those men, who did not accept or
want their sexuality labelled, and this is an interesting point of investigation itself. Some of
the men who see themselves as being straight, are mainly those who find it difficult to
accept their work. They appeared to present a homophobic and macho attitude, reinforcing
their need to appear heterosexual.
From the conversations I had with my respondents it became clear that the rent scene was

far wider than I had initially realised, as my respondents were from local support groups,
they represent those that operate in the public domain and exclude those working in private
dwellings such as masseurs, dancers and professional escorts.
Importantly, it should be noted that there was no direct observation of my respondents
physically, so that all my analysis is based simply on the information received from my
telephone interviews, and this will have been affected by individuals own thoughts and
perceptions of their situation.

CHAPTER 6
A - DISCUSSION
1 - CONCLUSION
The research process included a mix of both qualitative and quantitative procedures, which
allowed for an analysis of the situation common to male prostitutes.
The results from this research indicated that the majority of guys had been abused
(physically abused) during their childhood. Only 2 of the respondents had parents in
professional jobs. 10 of the respondents had parents that were divorced, remarried, missing,
separated and / or absent.
Interestingly, with some of the guys that were sexually abused; they found comfort and a
certain closeness with some of their abusers, while others had very mixed feelings about
this. All of these guys carried on into adulthood, their childhood sexual habits; that is as a
result of being paid or given a reward from their abusers for services rendered, some have

now came to equate sex with rewards.

The common theme with the majority of these guys are their unhappy childhoods. Some
have very low self-esteem. Most of these boys left home at a very young age as a result of
their unhappy home life and ended up; as result of a lack of money and others in the search
for adventure; selling themselves.
This is proof that prostitution is not a simply about financial gain or sexual desire, but
underlying this is the power play between money, sexual identity and all the other factors
identified in this project, as pathways into prostitution.
Most importantly, survival was not what led these guys into prostitution. Many of them
became male escorts by choice (many of them could find other jobs); but they found they
could make more money and have more fun prostituting.

2 - DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Comparing the guys from this study with the literature on male prostitution, it is immediately
obvious that there both clear similarities and differences between the two. The five
precipitating factors for entry into prostitution from this study are family dysfunction, abuse
(both physical and sexual), sexual orientation, money and finally, personal choice . Though
not exactly in this order. With regards to studies on this subject, the conclusion is that
prostitutes tend to stereotypically have, a history of incest, rape, truancy, parental
neglect, running away and early sexual experiences. Though elements of this are present in
my research, there is more of an element of freedom and the cultivation of a lifestyle about
hustling.
On the other hand, the strong difference I have found not to be completely true compared to
my own study, is the idea that most prostitutes were sexually abused at an early age. Sexual
abuse in many of the literature on prostitution has always been strongly linked to
prostitution, with those abused said to be twice as likely to become prostitutes. In this case,
real sexual abuse was only found in three cases.
The idea that deviant behaviour such as substance abuse and alcohol leads to prostitution

has not been true in this case, rather I found that it was the other way around and that it
was after many of the respondents had turned to prostitution, that they turned to drugs and
alcohol.
Overall, this research has been difficult because of the dependence on volunteer recruitment
and this has narrowed the scope somewhat. Of more interest to note, is that the emergence
of so many points (such as the roles played by sexuality and its construct and its impacts on
prostitution, the role and motivations of the clients that keeps this profession profitable) that
need further investigation and research, that unfortunately could not be explored in this
research project, as they digress away from my original investigation and limited time
constraints.
Furthermore, as prostitution is not limited to just the UK, it would be very interesting to carry
out a comparative analysis of male prostitution and sexual identity in other countries, with
regards to masculinity. Would these male prostitutes still be regarded as real men? The
concept of Hegemonic Masculinity how men see themselves as men can be used as
starting reference8.

B - REFERENCES
1: BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aggleton P (1999) (ed). Men who sell sex: International perspectives on male
prostitution and AIDS. London, UCL Press.
Allen, D. (1980) Young male prostitution: A psychosocial study: Archives of Sexual
Behaviour, 9 (5), 399-426 in D. Boyer (1989) Male Prostitution and Homosexual
Identity:
Journal of Homosexuality, Vol. 17 Part 1-2, The Haworth Press USA, 155.

Barrett, D. (1998) Young People and Prostitution: Perpetrators in our Midst,

International Review of Law, Computers and Technology, Vol. 12 (3) pp. 47586
Benjamin H and Masters R.E.L (1965) Prostitution and Morality London,
Souvenir Press.
Boyer, D. (1989) Male Prostitution and Homosexual Identity: Journal of
Homosexuality, Vol.
8

in The Sage Dictionary of Criminology (2001:138)

17 (1-2) The Haworth Press USA, 151-184.

Burke, T. (1991) Streetwise On Streetlife: Young People Now, Vol. 31 Part Nov., 2324.

Caputo, T., Weiler, R. & Kelly, K. (1994). Phase II of the runaways and street
youth project: The Ottawa case study. Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and
Services Canada.
Coleman E (1989) The development of male prostitution activity among gay
and bisexual adolescents. . Journal of Homosexuality, 17(1-2), 131-49.
Cates, J.A (1989) Adolescent male prostitution by choice. Child & adolescent social
work journal, 6, 151-156.
Coombs, N. R. (1974) Male Prostitution: A Psychosocial View of Behaviour: American
Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 44, no. 5, 782-789 in D. Boyer (1989) Male Prostitution
and
Homosexual Identity: Journal of Homosexuality, Vol. 17 Part 1-2, The Haworth Press
USA,
154.
DeBlassie, R. R. (1984) Adolescent Prostitution: Adolescence, Vol. xix, no. 75, Fall,
New
York, Libra Publishers Inc., 692.
Foster, C. (1993) Male Youth Prostitution: Perspectives, Policy and Practice: Social
Work
Monographs, Norwich, 100, 2nd edition.
Foucault, M(1980) History of Sexuality vol.1 An Introduction New York, Vintage
Books.
Friedman, Mack(2003). Strapped for cash: A history of American Hustler Culture. Los
Angeles: Alyson.
Gibson, B. (1995) Male Order: Life Stories from Boys Who Sell Sex: London: Cassell,
168.

Hagan, J., & McCarthy, B. (1997). Mean streets: Youth crime and
homelessness. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
Nadon, S., Koverola, C. & Schudermann, E. (1998). Antecedents to
prostitution: Childhood victimization. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 13(2)
206-222.
Schaffer, B. & R. R. DeBlassie (1984) Adolescent Prostitution: Adolescence, Vol. xix,
no.
75, Fall, New York, Libra Publishers Inc.

Schissel, B. & Fedec, K. (1999). The selling of innocence: The gestalt of

danger in the lives of youth prostitutes. Canadian Journal of Criminology,
41(1), 33-57.
Seng, M. (1989). Child sexual abuse and adolescent prostitution: A
comparative analysis. Adolescence. In Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics
(1993). Street prostitution in Canada. Juristat 13(4)
West, D.J. with B. de Villiers (1992) Male Prostitution. London: Duckworth.
Wooden, K. (1976) Weeping in the playtime of others: Americas incarcerated
children:
New York: McGraw Hill in B. Schaffer & R. R. DeBlassie (1984) Adolescent
Prostitution:
Adolescence, Vol. xix, no. 75, Fall, New York, Libra Publishers Inc., 690-691.
www.Barnardos.co.uk
www.sw5.info

Interview Guidelines
(APPENDIX 1)
This is a structured set of telephone interview questions, I carried out with my interviewees.
There a few open-ended questions. Most of the questions are straight-forward. Where
respondents were uncertain, they were given a list of options from which to choose from:
( )= More than 1 response may be chosen
N/K= Not known
N/A= Not Applicable
..................................................................................................
Childhood and Family Background
1 -------Did you grow up in a stable family unit, with both your parents?
Yes
No
2 How was your childhood at home? Very happy Normal Unhappy
3 Have you ever been in Foster care? Yes
No
4 What was the relationship like between your parents? Very Good
Normal
Very
Bad
5 Are you in touch with either your mother or father? Yes
No
Abuse = Physical / Sexual
1 --------Were you ever physically abused when you were young? Yes
No
2 As a young boy under 15, were you ever forced into sexual activities against your will?

Yes
No
3 Did you leave home early (under the age of 16)?
Yes
No
Education
1 --------What type of school did you go to when you were younger? Single sex
Mixed sex
2 Did you ever play truant? Yes
No
3 What age did you leave school?
4 Do you have any higher degree education? Yes No
Employment
1 --------Are you in full-time employment at the moment? Yes
No
2 Have you ever had a full-time job? Yes
No
Sexual Orientation
1 -------How old were you when you had your first sexual experience?
2 What sexuality do you consider yourself to be? Homosexual, Heterosexual, Bisexual
Entry into Prostitution
1 How did you first learn about selling sex?
2 ---------How old were you the first time you were paid for sex?
3 ( )What led you to do this?
Lifestyle
1 ---------What sort of a place do you live in? House Apartment Bed sit Council Flat
Hostel Squat Other
2 Do you live alone or with someone? Please state who with
3 Have you ever used drugs? Yes
No
4 How much a week do you usually spend on drugs?
5 What type of drugs do you usually use and how often do you use it?
6 ( )What do you spend most of your money on?
Renting
1 ( )---What sort of sexual services do you provide to punters ? Oral
Penetrative
Masturbation
2 How did you feel the first time you did this?
3 ( )Where do you make contact with potential punters? Streets Internet
Pubs, clubs,
bars
Toilets
Print publication
Friends other
4 On average, how much do you make from punters per week and how often do you
hustle?
5 ( )What sort of age are most of your punters?
6 What is your overall feeling about the rent scene? Would you : like to continue as present
have better punters have more clients
stop altogether
other

Questionnaire Response Coding Guideline

Lifestyle
Q1.

Q2

Q5

Q6

1=House

1=Alone

A= Heroin

1=Food

2=Apartme
nt
3=Bed sit

2=Family

B=Cocaine

2=Clothing

3=Boyfriend

C=Ecstasy

3=Rent

4=Council
flat
5=Hostel

4=Girlfriend

D=Cannabis

4=Drugs

5=Friend

E=Other

5=Clubbing

(APPENDIX

2)

6=Squat
7=Other

6=Shared
Housing
7=Other

6=Alcohol
7=Other

Childhood and Family Background

Q2

Q4

VH=Very Happy

VG=Very Good

N=Normal

N=Normal

U=Unhappy

VB=Very Bad

Education
Q1

SS=Single Sex
MS=Mixed Sex

Sexual Orientation
Q2

1=Homosexual
2=Heterosexual
3=Bisexual

Entry into Prostitution

Q1

Q3

A=Being Propositioned

1=Naivety

B=From the Media (TV, Mags, Print Publication)

2=Money

C=From Friends

3=Curiosity

D=Other

4=Other

Renting
Q1.

Q3

Q5

Q6

1=Oral

1=Streets

1=20s

A=like to continue as present

2=Penetrative

2=Internet

2=30s

B=have more clients

3=Masturbation

3=Bars, clubs,
pubs
4=Print Publication

3=40s

C=stop altogether

4=50s

D=Other

5=Friends

5=60s

6=Toilets

6=70s

7=Other

(APPENDIX

4)

Language Definitions

AC-DC = Bisexual

Blow-job = Oral sex

Cottaging = Public toilets for sexual contacts

On the Game = Working as a prostitute

Punters = Clients

Straight = Heterosexual

Rent Scene = field of gay prostitution