18 May,2009 08:42 AM IST | | Omi Gurung
Students from out of town join 'adult services' industry
Who Students and unemployed young men
What Getting into gigolo business
Why For quick money to meet expenses
How Through Internet and texting
With jobs hard to come by, there's been a sudden spurt in the number of gigolos or male prostitutes in Bangalore, offering anything from massages to "fun".
The new breed of male 'escorts' are mostly educated, unemployed young men or college students who use online communities to scout for business.
Kumar (name changed) from Marathalli: Expenses in Bangalore are very high, so I joined this group recently to earn some money. I am not a professional escort and my clients are women between 25 and 35.
Risha, a male sex worker on M G Road: Recession time, so no money, no job, and sex sells. So, it is an easy way to make money. Everyone has the right to choose their profession.
Communities on Orkut
>>Bangalore Gigolo Club
Created: 28 January 2007
Members: 450
>>Gigolo in Bangalore
Created: 22 December 2008
Members: 73
MiD DAY did a reality check, and found that many numbers given on gigolo websites are real, and were picked up promptly.
This reporter posed as a male friend of a potential client, and a boy who looked 22 made a trip to Airport Road.
He indentified himself with the help of his purple shirt and his backpack.
"Who is the client?" the boy asked.
"Sorry, can't tell you," we said. He didn't mind and made the trip from Marathahalli, where he said he stays.
He called twice from his phone after reaching the spot we had suggested. We told him we'd wouldn't be able to meet because some urgent work had come up. He accepted without any protest when we said we'd call him another day.
Those in the know say clients are mostly rich women who call the boys over, or women from out of town here on official visits. Students offering such services are also invariably from out of town.
"They stay with friends and have no fear of parents," said a student who didn't want to be named.
There are numerous online ads posted by gigolos, also referred to as man-whores, man-sluts, rent boys, hustlers and call boys. One of them says: "This is Anand, 28, model and actor, available as gigolo in Bangalore for ladies who are decent (sic) and well educated".
That is another category getting into the sex business: boys who wanted to be models but who found now work.
One of the many profiles on Gigolo in Bangalore, an Orkut community, reads, "A professional gigolo who rides lady crazy. I am a BBM student in Bangalore and doing this job to earn some money and to have some fun. If anyone needs my presence, call me".
When MiD DAY called, he said: "Yes, I am a professional; I can do any service, massage or anything. I can even come to your place. I charge Rs 1.5 K for a massage and Rs 2-3 K for fun."
Escort agencies
Apart from online communities, there are male escort agencies doing brisk business too. "Services are private and discreet in nature," said one agency.
David Arora, who runs a gigolo agency in Bangalore, rationalises, "If men can enjoy with prostitutes, why can't women enjoy with gigolos?" He gets business online.
Then there's Manfred Escort Agency luring young unemployed adults and college students to the trade through emails. "Elite females and males need your services like massage and steam bath, etc. You will be paid in the range of Rs 2,000 to Rs 8,000 as per the services performed by you. It's a fast-growing adult industry in India.
Join our club with a reasonable membership rate. Call us for more details. We also provide tips and training," says the mail.
"I am scandalised to hear about this racket," said Ambika Sathyamurthy, parent of a college student. "The police should come down on it mercilessly, or we will lose many young boys for ever."
'No gigolo cases'
The city police are completely clueless about what's going on. "Till now, we have not received any male gigolo case in our station, but yes, in recent months we have arrested sex workers from the city under the Immoral Traffic Act," said Uday Bhaskar, inspector, Ashoknagar police station.
