Sex workers offer intimacy and connection for disabled clients

Oliver has sought the services of sex workers over the years, because dating can be especially tough for anyone with a disability.

Despite having tried "every dating app out there", Oliver, 39, has never been in a long-term relationship.

The Sydneysider, now a successful tech entrepreneur, said despite looking for a partner ever since finishing high school, he has had no luck.

In the modern dating world, in which apps such as Tinder rely on appearance and snap judgements, Mr Morton-Evans said most people could not see past his wheelchair.

"It's been really hard because I'm kind of always in a quandary of, 'do I disclose my disability straight up or do I not?'," he said.

"I kind of don't want to, because although it's a part of me it's not all of who I am.

"The moment they see a wheelchair, people tend to create a story in their head of what that might mean."

But he said visiting sex workers was not just about the physical pleasure.

"I have no shame or anything like that, but that's just not what I most deeply desire,"

he said.

"There's so much more to sex than just the physical activity."

Mr Morton-Evans said seeing sex workers provided him with the intimacy he craved in his everyday life, and motivated him to keep looking for a partner.

"I think for an able-bodied person they forget about how much, particularly touch for example ... humans need touch to feel connected with others," he said.

"So when I would see a sex worker, it tends to make me feel a lot more able to then go out and find the kind of relationship I want."

People with disabilities seek intimacy from sex workers

Although often viewed as taboo, many people with disabilities seek the services of sex workers as an outlet for their sexual and intimate desires.

Brisbane escort Lisa said she regularly saw clients with disabilities and was proud to provide a service for people struggling to find intimacy in their everyday lives.

"I see this job as just an extension of the caring person that I am," she said.

"Not everyone wants to have sex. They just want a bit of affection, or to chat to someone, all that sort of thing.

"It's just me giving to the person what they need, and I feel that I'm doing a worthwhile job by helping other people."

She said access to sexual services, especially for marginalised people, was vital for their health and wellbeing.

"It's a genuine health issue," she said.

"Like a baby needs affection, needs cuddles, needs touch, needs food, needs all these things [so too] an adult does.

"It doesn't matter what age you are ... it's so basic of a human need."

Noriel works as an escort and is the Cairns representative for Respect Inc, the Queensland sex worker support group.

She said she believed access to sex workers for people with disabilities should be covered under the NDIS.

"Whether you are a wage-earner or you're on any type of benefit from the government, you have a right to spend your money however you want," she said.

"And if you would like to spend your money hiring the services of a sex worker, I think you should be able to do that."

Social attitudes have harmful impacts

Counsellor and registered NDIS provider Casey Payne said it was a common misconception that people with disabilities were non-sexual.

"Just because you live with something that's different to everybody else doesn't mean that your life can't still be the same in every aspect, especially in sexual health.

"Everybody deserves the right to have a pleasurable, sexual, healthy life."

Written by Sarah Matthews

Full story at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-12/disability-sexuality-intimacy-connection-modern-dating/9931480