More than 10% of students 'use their bodies' to pay for university fees when facing emergency costs, study claims
78 per cent of students struggle with finances
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A new study of 3,167 students in the UK has revealed that 78 per cent are struggling to get by, with some are turning to sex work to make ends meet.
According to data from the National Student Money Survey, conducted by money advice site Save the Student, more than one in 10 students are “using their bodies” to make money when they are unexpectedly caught short of funds.
The kind of work this refers to medical trials and life modelling in addition to sex work, sugar dating and/or webcamming.
Meanwhile, for students who are not dealing with emergency costs, five per cent participate in such work, the study found.
The average student receives £600/month in maintenance loan plus £138.50/month from their parents, Save the Student’s data reveals.
However, with average living costs coming in at £770/month, many students are left with insufficient funds.
The survey revealed that 76 per cent of students rely on part-time jobs to make extra money, with almost as many using gambling or their bodies (11 per cent) as those who get uni hand-outs (15 per cent).
Save the Student money expert Jake Butler said: “Every year, our survey reveals students are involved in sex work, whether by choice or because they've run out of options.
“It’s true that there’s been an improvement in recent years but sex workers still face an unfair stigma, and many may fear repercussions from their university over their choice of work.
"Universities need to continue their efforts to provide support and create spaces in which students feel safe accessing advice, to ensure all students are aware of their rights and can practice their work safely.”
Here, three students share how they got into sex work at university.
Siobhan, first year student at University of Liverpool
“I never really meant to get started. I had tweeted about wanting money so I could go to an event and afford to eat.
“The next day I woke up to a direct message from a stranger offering to pay me in exchange for ignoring and insulting him online. He called himself a ‘pay pig’, which is like a sugar daddy but without the sexual aspect.
“Since then I have used both Twitter and Seeking Arrangement to find pay pigs and sugar daddies. I typically get around £50 a week, plus an extra £5-£10 per photo of my feet or socks, if I choose to do that.
"I have also been offered upwards of £150 to send people my used shoes, but I love my shoes too much to part with them.”
Carmen, second year student at University of Kent
“I got involved in webcamming when I heard a friend of a friend was doing it and making substantial amounts of money. The agency I used does training via WhatsApp: they send text, video and voice notes about how to set up your account, along with everything you need to do before you begin working. They also offer ongoing support via a group chat, where they answer questions and offer advice and scripts.
"I have very few uni contact hours, so it's easy to fit around my studies. If I worked consistently, I'd be making a grand a week easily. My earnings have dropped dramatically after taking time out for exams - now I'm making just under £100/week - but the money helps regardless. It’s reassuring to know I'll always have a back-up option and never be completely stuck without any source of income, especially since I'm almost entirely independent from my parents."
Matthew, first year student at Canterbury Christ Church
“Someone messaged me on Instagram and offered me money for a photo of my feet.
"They’d seen a picture from my photostream of me on holiday wearing flip flops, and that’s apparently all it took! I was struggling with money at the time so I obviously wasn’t gonna turn it down. After that I used Tumblr to do it a few more times.
"I’ve made about £200 overall. It helped me when I was really struggling with food and stuff; that’s when I would turn to doing it. The best thing is it’s so easy to do. The worst thing is having to pretend I’m into it so people actually buy photos. They don't ask for specific things, just different angles and close-ups, really.”
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