Pune:
For five years, Pune resident Sajid had a settled 'trade', a lifestyle he had become used to, and had more or less made a name for himself in his line of work. But it's been a year now since he gave up his old profession and has since switched three jobs.
Sajid, a popular male escort who hails from Bhopal, is one among the growing number of escorts in the city who are switching careers to regular ways of earning a living.
"Since last year, the rates have dropped drastically. May be it is because of too many outsiders, as there really has been an influx of people in the male sex industry here. In my case, when parties became fewer and money was scarce, one of my friends, who earlier worked in a call centre, suggested I take it up."
Sajid is a second year commerce drop-out but found no difficulty in getting a job as he speaks fluent English. Soon after he joined, an escort friend of his decided to follow him.
Sajid's friend said, "For the first few months, we were trainees and we both continued attending occasional parties while doing our BPO job. But later, he discontinued the sex work even though his monthly income went down. I do freelance sex work sometimes during peak season or a few parties."
A co-ordinator with a local NGO Sambhavna that is involved in rehabilitation and rights issues of people in the sex industry confirmed that male escorts in the city are facing tough times.
"I know a few people who are working in BPOs as they are earning very little in sex work. Their income has fallen drastically. The educated ones are taking up BPO jobs while others become gym instructors as they are well built and good looking," said Nilesh, a co-ordinator with Sambhavna.
But some NGO workers who work with escorts say taking up of regular jobs is only to show a respectable means of income as a front.
"Very few actually leave their jobs full time and go over to the other side. There have been exceptions but even if rates have fallen, not many will leave this industry forever," said Bindhu Madhav Khire, a gay rights activist who runs Sampathik Trust.
Sajid, a popular male escort who hails from Bhopal, is one among the growing number of escorts in the city who are switching careers to regular ways of earning a living.
"Since last year, the rates have dropped drastically. May be it is because of too many outsiders, as there really has been an influx of people in the male sex industry here. In my case, when parties became fewer and money was scarce, one of my friends, who earlier worked in a call centre, suggested I take it up."
Sajid is a second year commerce drop-out but found no difficulty in getting a job as he speaks fluent English. Soon after he joined, an escort friend of his decided to follow him.
Sajid's friend said, "For the first few months, we were trainees and we both continued attending occasional parties while doing our BPO job. But later, he discontinued the sex work even though his monthly income went down. I do freelance sex work sometimes during peak season or a few parties."
A co-ordinator with a local NGO Sambhavna that is involved in rehabilitation and rights issues of people in the sex industry confirmed that male escorts in the city are facing tough times.
"I know a few people who are working in BPOs as they are earning very little in sex work. Their income has fallen drastically. The educated ones are taking up BPO jobs while others become gym instructors as they are well built and good looking," said Nilesh, a co-ordinator with Sambhavna.
But some NGO workers who work with escorts say taking up of regular jobs is only to show a respectable means of income as a front.
"Very few actually leave their jobs full time and go over to the other side. There have been exceptions but even if rates have fallen, not many will leave this industry forever," said Bindhu Madhav Khire, a gay rights activist who runs Sampathik Trust.
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