The number of university students who know someone who has worked in the sex industry to fund their studies has gone up from “3% to 25% in 10 years”.
A study by Professor Ron Roberts of Kingston University on students’ relationship with the sex industry also found 11% would consider escort work.
He said high tuition fees had driven students to work as lap dancers and for chat lines and internet pornography.
The government said it provided “generous” financial support.
Sexual imagery
Prof Roberts told BBC Somerset that his survey of several hundred university students also found that 16% would consider working in the sex industry.
Although his survey was conducted at one London university, he said the rest of his research had found these findings were indicative of the entire country, particularly in urban areas.
He attributed this to the rising level of student debt and the proliferation of lap dancing clubs.
“Sexual imagery is everywhere. The middle classes are now kind of entering sex work and seeing it as a viable career path. The whole moral climate has altered substantially,” he said.
Chloe, a student from a university in the west of England, said she started lap dancing because it was the only way she could afford to fund her studies.
“If I’ve got deadlines or assignments that have to be in it is really hard but on the other side, if I didn’t do my dancing, I wouldn’t be able to afford to be at university.”
Another student who had worked sending sex texts said he did it for not only the money, but because the hours suited him.
Carrie Hale, who runs the lap dancing club Central Chambers in Bristol said lap dancing was ideal because students could not get day jobs and bar and waitress work was badly paid.
And one escort agency said they were specifically looking for students as they could “go to nice places, meet some really nice guys and earn a bit of pocket money”.
Pages: 1 2
You may also want to read...
That girls ridiculous! That’s why I am in love with her.