The cost of living crisis has been sexualised. Students are turning to sex work because university costs are through the roof. We’re talking about everything from tuition to living expenses, and let’s not even start on the nightmare of student loans. For a lot of students, regular part-time jobs just don’t cut it anymore. They need more cash, and they need it flexibly. Enter sex work – it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for some, it’s a way to make ends meet and maybe even more than what typical student jobs pay.
Apart from the social stigma attached to sex work, how safe are these students? Are they prepared for the possible abuse? What about the legal stuff and what people think? And really, why are students feeling like this is their only option? It’s also got people talking about whether university is too pricey for most.
Now, this isn’t just a one-place thing. It’s happening all over. The facts are shocking.
In the UK: It is estimated that about 56,000 students are doing sex work because the rent’s too high and the grants are too lo. That’s a lot of students struggling for cash. It may only be 2% of the student population but look at it another way. In a group of 100 students, 2 are paying for their studies trough sex work.
Money Troubles: A survey showed that loads of students pick sex work because unexpected university costs are just too much and they’re not getting enough help from usual sources like student loans or their folks. There’s a real gap between what they need and what they’re getting.
Worldwide Issue: It’s not just a UK thing. The National Union of Students points out that studying at university is getting expensive everywhere, pushing more students into the sex industry. It’s global problem.
Numbers Doubling: A survey says the number of students in sex work (think sugar dating, getting paid for sex, etc.) has doubled in just two years. That’s mostly because they’re worried about money and the cost of living keeps going up. And there’s a whole range of stuff they’re doing, which shows how complex this situation is.
So, what we’re seeing is a pretty worrying picture. University is costing an arm and a leg, and students are doing whatever it takes to get by. It’s making us ask some serious questions about how we support students and whether the way we’re running higher education really makes sense.