A new trend among the youth in China is “street girlfriends” due to the increasing work and family obligations. This has become a trending thing even more because some girls are ready to exchange their bodies with money but will not have sex with men.
The South China Morning Post reports that this “street girlfriend” syndrome was first mentioned last April by The Southern Weekly but attracted little online attention, garnering fewer than 1,000 Weibo likes.
However, NetEase News reports that recently the service was spotted on the bustling streets of Shenzhen which has revived a wide-ranging conversation on social media regarding a paid companionship economy.
In Shenzhen, young women can be seen selling hugs, kisses and their company from street stalls. Next to a subway station reads a sign saying; “One yuan (14 US cents) for a hug, 10 yuan for a kiss, 15 yuan to watch a film together.” In another instance, different women set up stools at pedestrian street squares offering services ranging from household chores to drinking companionship at an agreed fee of; “20 yuan (US$2.8) to help with household chores, 40 yuan per hour to drink with you,” reads another sign text. Reports estimate that some of those ladies can make as much as 100 yuan in one outing.
On mainland Chinese social media networks there are differing opinions concerning the phenomenon of street boyfriends or girlfriends. Some people consider it as a self-activity where girls can meet interesting people, get rid of stress and hang out. However others argue that placing prices on women’s friendship lowers it value and insults their dignity; this poses risks for those girls’ safety too.
There is no established legal framework regulating the sector of ‘street girlfriend’ services according He Bo from Sichuan Hongqi Law Firm who fears that this could flow into prostitution or sexual service business transactions. He recommended society should lead children towards better ways of normal social interactions to satisfy their social and emotional needs.
In other parts of mainland China, for example in the Dali Ancient City of Yunnan province, a girl was spotted selling “one-day lover” services for 600 yuan ($84) including meals, kisses and hugs but not sex.
