This 'sex worker' offers something else to her clients instead of sex

Representational image.It's about getting comfortable with one's own sexuality and fears surrounding sexual intimacy

We have all heard of sex workers and stories of sexual abuse by men. But this is a different kind of story. This is about a sex worker who offers not sex, but closure and affection. She does it for men who have either intimacy issues or suffer from erectile dysfunction.

She is a sex surrogate.

Danielle Colley, an Australian 'sex surrogate' explains what she does:

Representational image.'I also knew that he had erectile dysfunction and he ejaculated prematurely.'

"I SAT in the hotel room waiting for my client. The lights were turned down, the room was warm, comfortable and ready for his arrival.I didn't know much about him before we met but I did know he had experienced traumatic relationships with the women in his life, and I also knew that he had erectile dysfunction and he ejaculated prematurely.

I knew his sexual inadequacies were causing him distress and pain - in fact, that's why I was there. As a sex surrogate, this is my area of expertise - using intimate touch and intercourse to help heal a whole range of problems, both sexual and otherwise." (The Sun)

It's sex work with a difference. Sex surrogates do not work in a brothel or advertise online - rather, clients are referred to them by psychologists to help work through their intimacy issues. The sessions begin with talking, proceeds to simple touches and in some cases, 'witnessed' masturbation. One might also indulge in sex, but that is usually the last step.

Witnessed masturbation is when the sex worker or surrogate watches the client pleasure himself/herself and offers tips on how the same can be improved.

Sex surrogates operate openly in countries like Israel while in Australia it's still done secretly. It is seen as a controversial form of sex therapy.

Representational image.Sex surrogates do not work in a brothel or advertise online

"It wasn't about pleasure or learning how to please a woman - he just wanted to explore something so mysterious to him through touch. Once he had, his intimacy problems suddenly didn't seem so insurmountable,"says Danielle.

Contrary to popular it's never only about sex. It's about getting comfortable with one's own sexuality and fears surrounding sexual intimacy, without feeling the pressure to perform. And no, it's not only women who are sex surrogates.

There are male sex surrogates as well.

Let us know what you think of this.