From The Straits Times    |

Image: alphaspirit / 123RF Stock Photo

Found yourself in a Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates-type of situation? Looking to make your ex jealous like Debra Messing in A Wedding Date? Or are you aiming to spice up your relationship with a rendezvous involving another man in your bed?

Guess what? Your life can be like the plot of a steamy chick flick.

We stumbled upon Aussie-based My Male Companion (during the course of “research”, of course) and were surprised to discover that the agency has been servicing the Asia-Pacific region for the past two years with its handful of fellas for hire.

The transaction is quick and dirty, too: A phone confirmation regarding the type of booking, time and location, and any one (or two) of its six companions (subject to availability) could be on a plane within 24 hours and delivered straight to your doorstep.

But what’s it really like to be a male social escort? To find out more about the men as people, we arranged for a chat with 35-year-old Italian Steve*, their “most exclusive and sophisticated gentleman”. His unorthodox resume includes attending the Cannes Film Festival in France with a “special figure” (he won’t divulge with whom though, more’s the pity).

1. Hi Steve, where are you based?

I live in Brisbane but I travel quite often along Australia’s East Coast. A couple of times a month, I’d make trips to Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong and South Korea.

2. How did you get into this line of work?

I started as a freelancer myself, then I met Eva* [who was my client] and we decided to set up the business together. Julie*, Eva and I are the main shareholders of the company. I was out of a relationship and wanted to…challenge myself. A confirmation that I’m not that bad in bed after all. There’s something missing out there with women so we decided to set up something specifically for them. We’re expanding in Southeast Asia and Europe now. A lot of it is about trust – we only hire through referrals.

3. What sets you apart from the other guys on the website?

I’m one of the guys with the highest ratings because I have more experience. I’ve been doing this for nine years. You can consider picking me if you’re looking for someone more sophisticated; Perhaps Alex* if you’d like someone younger looking. I’d typically get the 30 to 45 year olds whereas he’d get the 27 to 37 year olds.

4. How many clients would you usually get per week?

Three to five. We try not to have more than one client per day because we want to focus entirely on that person each day.

5. What are your regular clients like?

Very career-driven. They might be divorced. Younger women would prefer intimacy, whereas older clients like dinner and conversation. The women in their 20s [could be] looking to lose their virginity and gain experience.

Once or twice a month, my partner Kate* and I see couples who are willing to experiment. We once spent 16 hours with a couple celebrating their 10th anniversary. We went to a restaurant then danced until 3am at the Ivy, one of Sydney’s most exclusive nightclubs. After that we adjourned to their private hotel room until 11am [the next day].  

6. What’ve you learned about women?

We have to be charming and intellectual [because] at the end of the day, it is very much the interaction that is important in making my clients feel relaxed and at ease. When dating, we tend to put a mask on ourselves; we want to impress the person. I’m not there to judge them so they can just be themselves and we can get very deep in conversation, which helps them enjoy the experience.

7. Why do you think women hire social escorts?

Women work very hard, sometimes harder than men, and dating takes a lot of time and effort. We can give exactly what women want – great company, good conversation, fun, a good sexual experience.

I think we see a lot of clients from Singapore and Hong Kong because the culture is very different. Most of our companions are Mediterranean and we have a different way of “love giving” than in the Asian culture.

This is purely based on my experience, but I feel like we are so much more seductive and funnier than most Asian males. Asian men are very monetary- and career-driven but may not understand how a woman’s mind works – they may treat women how they treat their jobs. It can be a very possessive relationship and not one borne out of pleasure but of comfort.

8. Do you think the reasons why women hire social escorts differs from why men do it?

Whether males hire escorts or go to a brothel, it is for a very limited time: 20 to 45 minutes, completely focused on the sexual experience. Women want to laugh, be charmed and have romance. Men buy sex whereas women buy company – [the] connection with the benefit of intimacy.

9.  Do your clients get to see what you look like beforehand and do you screen them beforehand?

No, we want to keep my identity and theirs safe. However we do have VIPs who we share images with so that they feel guaranteed.

10. What is the craziest thing you’ve had to do for a client?

Sometimes [for as long as] a couple of weeks three to four times a year, we’d travel to very exotic places. One of the biggest holidays I’ve had was at a safari in South Africa. It was very lavish. I got there on a private jet and we got the VIP treatment.

Some people have a fetish and they want to experience something like in 50 Shades of Grey. I have some toys and my life is very extravagant… for some it might look crazy but for me, it’s very normal. Most of the time it’s just light bondage, light spanking… they get excited at the thought of being restrained.

11.  Where would you draw the line?

We are usually very flexible with all our clients. I’ve been seeing someone in Melbourne who is married for seven years and we very much understand that this is a fantasy, and [we do not] cross boundaries [into a proper relationship] even though we have a strong attraction to each other. They understand that they’re not the only ones we service.

12.  Have you ever fallen for a client?

There was a period when I felt very connected with Eva. Once we started the business, because of the nature of my profession, we decided to keep a healthy business and not stay together as a couple but as business partners.

13. Do your family and friends know what you do?

All my friends. No one in my family knows at the moment.

*Names have been changed.

Price tag: $250 per hour (companionship), $500 per hour (intimacy), $1,200 per hour (for the swinger/couple experience with Steve and Kate).

Considering longer hours? You can expect to pay:
$2,000 for six hours in the evening
$3,000 for an overnight stay
$5,000 for the weekend

Want the VIP treatment?
It’s approximately double the usual sum for a “preview” of the men in advance; five-star hotel and restaurant bookings; with transport taken care of, among other perks.

Want more? Get a copy of the October 2016 Her World issue in which we bring two local “rent a man” gents out for a spin.