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‘I was a single mum who turned to phone sex work to make ends meet’

Jun 14, 2019

All alone with the kids and no previous employment history, this writer was forced to work as a phone sex operator. Source: Getty Images

Long before the internet became a big part of our lives, long before dating sites such as RSVP, Tinder, Oasis, eHarmony and the like, there was phone sex. I know that many couples have phone sex but this was different. This was a hotline for men, and the occasional woman, to partake in a fantasy session of a sexual nature. The person on the other end of the line was unknown to the caller. A faceless woman who knew all the right words to say in order for the caller to achieve sexual satisfaction.

How do I know this? I know because I was one of the women on the other end of the line.

It was in the late-1960s when I found myself a single parent with young children to support. Back then there was no single parent payment. Child endowment was 50 cents a week per child.

I had no work experience as my husband would not allow me to work. With young children still at home, the chance of scoring a job was remote.

I was living in abject poverty. Such a worrying time and almost impossible to have any money to put food on the table for my babies.

I was reading the job vacancies in the local paper one day when I saw a small ad asking for women who had a broad mind to consider a phone sex career. There was a phone number to call, so I did. It couldn’t hurt to enquire, I told myself.

It all seemed pretty straight forward. I was allotted a certain phone number starting with 19. My name and details would be kept secret and I could choose a name to have as my worker name.

Another good thing about it was that I could choose what hours I was available. This suited me down to the ground as I could do this when my children were sleeping.

The pay rate was excellent. The longer I could keep a client talking, the more I money I could make.

I had a very broad mind so did not think I would have any trouble conversing with whomever called.

The first call I was just a tad nervous. I had chosen ‘Angel’ as my name and had to make sure I responded when called that.

My first ever client was a sweet sounding gentleman who really just wanted to talk about everyday kinds of things. He was happily married, he said, but his wife did not want to know about his day at the office or anything else. He was very easy to chat with, nothing sexual from this dude and he talked for more than three hours.

This bloke became a regular caller. I had my very first client and had not even had to leave my armchair or get out of my pyjamas. Perfect.

As time went on, I took all manner of calls. Some blokes just wanted to breathe heavily into the phone, this was fine by me. I did not have to talk at all.

Others wanted the whole sexual experience, as much as is possible over the phone anyway. I was quite detached from any feelings, but became a good actress and made the appropriate sounds when required.

I carried on this work for more than three years until my children were all at school and I could then get part-time work in a supermarket.

I know many people knock phone sex operators, but there was a place for them back then. I am sure I saved the odd marriage or two as well; I feel like I became a skilled counsellor as well as a sexy voice on the end of the line. Without this job, my children and I would have been destitute.