They are there, but you don’t hear much about them: male sex workers. Talking about sex work remains taboo, especially when it comes to men who go to a male sex worker. They do their work very invisibly. This also makes it difficult for care providers to get in touch with them. “Sometimes I send hundreds of messages and hope something comes back.”
In our province you will only find window prostitution in one place: Baekelandplein in Eindhoven. Only female sex workers work there, you don’t see male sex workers here.
That does not mean that there are no male sex workers, says Prostitution Social Worker Thomas from IMW Breda. “It happens very invisibly. In residential areas, in villages and cities. It actually happens everywhere.”
Would you like to hear more of the stories of sex worker Dennis? In the new podcast Beyond the Red Light, journalists from Omroep Brabant delve into the world of male sex workers. They get a look at his playroom, go on a date with Dennis and talk to one of his regular customers.
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For a number of years, Thomas has focused on reaching and helping male sex workers in all kinds of areas. “For example, if you have questions about housing, financial problems or if there is violence. We are available to help them in all kinds of areas.”
“That doesn’t mean they have to stop.”
Thomas encounters many different men and boys in his work. “Some have another job in addition to their sex work, some don’t. Some do the work because they like it, others don’t do it because they really want to, but because they need money.”
The aim of Thomas and his colleagues is primarily to ensure that sex workers can work safely. “That doesn’t mean they should stop sex work. But if you do things against your will, you get beaten or you have to have sex with people you don’t want to have sex with, then we are there to help.”
Male sex workers in Brabant
How many sex workers are there actually in Brabant? Non-profit organization Spine develops digital tools to combat exploitation. They contact men and women on sex advertising websites every day and check whether they need help. This gives them a good overview of the number of sex workers who present themselves online.
Number of unique advertisements until mid-July 2025: Netherlands: – Male advertisements: 17,000 – Female advertisements: 25,000 Brabant: – Male advertisements: 2600 – Female advertisements: 4600
An important note about the Brabant figures: many of those advertisements appear in several provinces at the same time. So an advertisement may have been shown earlier in the year in Limburg and later in the year in Brabant.
When a male sex worker has an unpleasant experience during their work, Thomas notices that they often do not see themselves as a victim. “Also because society views men in a certain way. You are not allowed to be weak, but of course you are absolutely not weak if you have been abused and you talk about it.”
“How do you make sure you’re safe?”
Many male sex workers start work when they are discovering their orientation. When something happens to them, such as violence, they often do not see themselves as victims. This makes them difficult to reach, which is why Thomas does online fieldwork. “I actively approach men on various websites. Sometimes I send literally hundreds of messages and hope there will be a response.”
Thomas tries to make the boys aware of the risks that the work can entail. “I think it’s important that they think about their safety: do you have a condom with you? How do you make sure you’re safe? How do you get there?”