For more copies of this leaflet contact: A GUIDEBOOK FOR MALE ESCORTS WHO SELL Lesbian & Gay Foundation, Unity House, 15 Pritchard Street, Manchester, M1 7DA SEX IN THE MANCHESTER AREA Tel: 0161 235 8035 www.lgf.org.uk Reg. Charity No.1070904 Registered Charity No. 1070904 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1. THE PREPARATION 1 Preparation 3-7 Before meeting a client, things you can do to keep safe and healthy 2 Personal Safety 8-9 BE BODY CONSCIOUS 3 Drugs & Alcohol 10-12 This guidebook has been put together from a wide range of sources to give male escorts clear and By keeping your body well maintained, practising good personal 4 Sex Work & The Law 13-15 precise information on how to stay healthy and sane hygiene, going for regular Sexual Health screenings and generally 5 The Sex Bit 16-20 in the sex industry and where to go if help is needed. looking after yourself you can keep any physical problems down It is also intended to help professionals who work in to a minimum. If you are stressed or run down this will affect 6 Directory 21-23 support services to understand the needs and you physically. Going to the gym keeps your body looking good and improves fitness but it’s not enough, you need to eat well concerns of male escorts. For the purposes of this and on a regular basis to stay healthy. guide a male escort is defined as someone who sells sexual services through the Internet, printed media, WHAT TO WEAR Written by The Lesbian and Gay an agency or any means other than the street. There are certain things you can wear that will make your life Foundation and Manchester Public easier when you’re working. Jewellery should be kept to a Health Development Service We understand that guys become escorts for many minimum, clasps and sharp edges can tear condoms or be used to With Grateful thanks to reasons therefore we do not wish to make any hurt you, they can also be stolen from you if they attract Manchester City Council. judgements about sex work, but hope this guide will attention. Piercings similarly can be pulled and ripped out. Wear manchesterlads.com help male escorts to stay safe and healthy. simple clothes that are easy to put on (and take off) in a hurry. Greater Manchester Police Never carry a weapon, it can be easily used against you. Manchester Prostitution Forum 2 3 SHOWERTIME DRINK WATER Ask your clients to have a shower before you And lots of it. One of the easiest ways to get infections in the meet them or take one with them before you mouth is by not looking after your oral health (mouth, throat, have sex. This gives you a chance to get to know gums, teeth, lips) Never brush your teeth immediately before or your client and check him out for any signs after a client, as this will irritate your gums which may make of cuts, sores or infections. If you’re having a them bleed, making you more open to infection. Try using busy day, showering between clients will help flavoured condoms for oral sex. It’s important to have plenty of you feel (and smell) fresh and invigorated. saliva in your mouth as it has bacteria killing agents in it. KEEP IT NEAT Drinking water and chewing gum will help stimulate saliva. By keeping pubic hair trimmed it makes it Try to avoid using alcohol based mouthwash as this can kill the easier to check for little mites (pubic lice, bacteria that helps fight off infections. crabs) and other S.T.I’s. Some guys think it CLEAR OUT YOUR SYSTEM looks better too and there’s nothing to get Drinking lots of water will make you want to piss, which helps pulled either! flush out bacteria and germs you may have picked up. Remember, CUTS AND SORES certain drugs may make you feel like you don’t need to go for a Be careful where you put your fingers. If you bite piss, but you should try to anyway. As a rule the clearer the your nails or the skin around them they may colour of your piss the more you’ve flushed out your system. bleed. If you have any cuts or open sores cover DOUCHING them with a dressing or plaster as an open Try to keep it to a minimum. You may feel a lot cleaner but too wound may get infected. Check your cock and much clearing out of your arse (apart from when you need to go arse for any tiny scrapes or cuts regularly. 4 5 to the toilet) strips the mucus from the lining of your be very serious and if you think you or someone you know arse which it needs to fight infections. If you must is affected by a condition like this seek help from a doctor douche, do it well in advance of seeing a client so or a specialist or encourage them to do the same. your body has chance to build up more resistance. DEPRESSION MIND OVER MATTER One in five people are affected by depression at some point It is important to remember that there are often times in their lives. Depression affects self-confidence, appetite, when personal problems affect our moods and sex drive and can lead to sleeplessness, lack of energy and behaviour. We need to be able to understand why we lack of concentration. A combination of approaches is may be feeling down and not dismiss it. Make time to often needed to tackle this. It is important not to rely on relax and rest between work, clients and partying. At alcohol or drugs to try to take these feelings away, often the back of this guide are many useful numbers, take they will make them worse. time to look at the variety of services that are Talking to a trained counsellor can help a lot, as counsellors available, many of them are free of charge and there provide support by listening, not judging and have an is always someone at the end of a phone who can ability to talk in a way that can help you see things from a help you. different perspective. There is no limit to the benefits of EATING DISORDERS having a good counsellor and sessions with them are Because of the pressures to always look good, eating always confidential. Some people find it helps to talk to disorders like Anorexia Nervosa (excessive slimming them about the following: and under eating) and Bulimia Nervosa (binge eating • Relationship issues • Low self esteem • Phobias and vomiting) are very common. These conditions can • Emotional, physical or sexual abuse 6 7 change of underwear/clothes. Always carry your mobile (fully charged 2. PERSONAL SAFETY and with credit) in case of an emergency. Hotels are usually safer than other people’s houses. Always tell a friend where you will be. If a At Home and Away client attacks you always report it to the police. Many guys have had problems when working away from home here are a few pointers: LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR • Try not to take food, drink or drugs if a client offers them to you If you work from home it’s important to keep friendly with your • Try not to get high before a session as you may not be in control of neighbours, respect their right to be free from noise and disturbance. everything that is happening around you It’s a good idea to meet a new client first to check him out before • You need to state what you will and won’t do with him clearly allowing him into your home and never take two clients at once. • Trust your instincts and if you aren’t comfortable don’t hang around When welcoming strangers into your home you need to be safety conscious. Remember you can always say NO to anything that a IF YOU ARE ASSAULTED customer asks you to do that is not part of your normal service • Call the police as soon as possible - call 999 and tell them you (many escorts limit their services to wanking, sucking and fucking) have been assaulted • Seek medical help if you think you need it Working away from home • If you have been the victim of a physical or sexual assault, don’t If you are working from a public place (like a hotel) You need to be shower or try to clean your clothes before any police arrive, you may discreet. Attracting any kind of attention will arouse suspicions and be destroying vital evidence which could convict your attacker the police have to act if they get complaints. Try to work within the • Try to note on paper the details of your attacker (height, eye/hair law as much as possible. (see Sex Work & The Law) colour, accent etc) and the sequence of events while it’s still If you’re working away from your base prepare a little kit that you fresh in your mind can easily carry in a sports bag and always keep it close by. • Have any police officer you speak with provide you with his/her Essentials are condoms, lube (water based) Towel or wet wipes, name, shoulder number and a crime reference number 8 • You can ask a friend to be with you 9 Cannabis (Weed, Grass, Smoke) - Can make you feel 3 DRUGS & ALCOHOL paranoid and upset. Loss of concentration could make you vulnerable. Can also affect your respiratory system and cause cancer.