Imagine the typical brothel dweller. It’s a middle-aged man in an overcoat, shuffling through the red-lit doorway with his head bowed in shame. Right?
But what about the women who dip their toes into the world of transactional sex?
Catherine De Noire, a PhD student who manages a legal brothel in Western Europe, reveals sex workers see more female clients than many would expect.
De Noire, 31, welcomes about ten female customers on an average night at her ‘Amsterdam-style’ club. Most visit as part of a couple, though solo female customers are not uncommon.
‘Our club doesn’t restrict women from entering as clients, though 99 per cent of visitors are male,’ she says.
‘On an average night, we might have up to 10 female customers – compared to about 500 men.
Catherine De Noire, who manages a brothel in Western Europe, says sex workers book more female clients than you might think
‘Women usually arrive with male partners – boyfriends, husbands, lovers – typically seeking a threesome with one of the girls.’
In these instances, De Noire says it’s common for the man to ‘watch’ his partner with another woman, ‘or vice versa’.
‘Lately, we’ve received inquiries from couples asking if they can also hire a male gigolo,’ she adds.
‘But unfortunately, we don’t currently have any male sex workers – although we’re open to the idea.’
De Noire, who began managing brothels at the age of 22, goes on to say women who hire sex workers for themselves are ‘rare’, but they do exist.
‘Most have never had a sexual experience with another woman but are curious to try,’ she says, adding that women are more likely to hire an escort than visit a brothel.
‘In the sex industry, “escort” typically refers to sex workers – male or female – who are booked to meet a client at a hotel or the client’s home,’ she explains.
‘And yes, when women pay for sex, they usually prefer booking escorts – either female sex workers or gigolos – rather than visiting brothels or clubs.’
De Noire, 31, gets about 10 female customers on an average night at her ‘Amsterdam-style’ mega club. Most are part of a couple, but solo customers come, too
But De Noire has certainly seen her fair share of women walk through the doors of her club.
‘I remember one very specific group of girls visiting our club many years ago,’ she recalls.
‘They looked like Arabian princesses – or perhaps one princess with her entourage.’
De Noire says these women ‘sat in the club for a while’ before they each chose a female sex worker and went into a room to pay for their services.
‘Later, I found out they were aristocratic young women from a particular culture,’ she explains.
‘I can’t remember the country, but in their tradition, a young girl is supposed to be introduced to the mysteries of eroticism by an experienced woman.
‘So they came to Europe to learn something about sex from professionals.’
De Noire says she also had a pair of Italian women in their late 50s who came into the club and paid for a strip show performed by a mother-daughter duo.
‘After ten years of managing this club, very little can surprise me anymore – but that definitely did,’ she adds.
‘Women usually arrive with male partners – boyfriends, husbands, lovers – typically seeking a threesome with one of the girls,’ she explains
While her brothel deals with vastly more male customers, De Noire says female clients still come with their own unique set of challenges.
‘It’s worth mentioning that not every sex worker offers this type of experience,’ she says, explaining she doesn’t know of any brothels which specifically cater to women.
‘Those acts often present more challenges in terms of safety and hygiene than heterosexual acts with condoms.’
She adds: ‘The biggest barrier is often the woman’s ego. Many see themselves as the ones who shouldn’t need to pay for sexual experiences.
‘Paying for sex can make them feel desperate, or even ashamed.
‘But once they overcome that feeling, they often enjoy it just as men do – being in control, paying someone to bring them pleasure and satisfaction.
‘And, most importantly, staying safe.’
De Noire says that, personally, she ‘feels much safer’ paying for the services of a gigolo than picking up a ‘random guy’ at a bar who could turn out to be ‘dangerous’.
When she isn’t managing sex workers, De Noire studies for a PhD in organisational psychology
On a typical night, De Noire says she ‘welcomes more than 500 customers’ into her venue, and ‘it’s nearly impossible to define a “typical” visitor’.
‘You’ll see a construction worker chatting with a university student next to a surgeon, wealthy business guy, professor, taxi driver, or professional athlete,’ she says.
‘Same with age – from 18 to 80. Motivations are equally diverse.
‘Some people come to explore sexual fantasies they can’t or don’t want to pursue with their partners – BDSM, threesomes, male anal play, squirting, and so on.
‘Others simply want standard sex but don’t have a partner and find brothels a safer, cheaper option than chasing one-night stands in bars or on Tinder.’
De Noire says she manages an ‘Amsterdam-style’ club called a Laufhaus, which is ‘popular in Western European countries’.
Customers walk through ‘a labyrinth-like space’ with about 100 rooms occupied by a sex worker.
De Noire, who clocks in at 7.00pm to work the night shift, is one of about 60 full-time employees at her club.
She revealed in a column in June that she earns about €6,000 (AU$10,500) a month.
Meanwhile, the brothel rakes in about €700,000 per month (about AU$1.2million).
Like any other company, the club has an HR department, accounting division, marketing unit, maintenance and customer service.
When she isn’t managing the sex workers who make a living – or a little extra cash – at the venue, De Noire studies for her PhD in organisational psychology.
