Investigation Finds Facebook is Enabling Gay ‘Sex for Rent’ Arrangements Targeting Young Homeless Men

Facebook “is hosting explicit posts from landlords promising housing in return for gay sex” according to a new Buzzfeed News investigation:

In multiple interviews with the men exchanging sex for rent and groups trying to deal with the crisis, BuzzFeed News also uncovered a spectrum of experiences that goes far beyond what has so far been documented, with social media, hook-up apps, and chemsex parties facilitating everything.

At best, impoverished young men are seeking refuge in places where they are at risk of sexual exploitation. At worst, teenagers are being kept in domestic prisons where all personal boundaries are breached, where their lives are in danger.

Buzzfeed’s Patrick Strudwick investigated a Facebook group called “Gay Houseboy’s and those who hire them” (still live as of this posting) described as “group for gay men seeking gay boys to work for them as houseboys, and for gay houseboys seeking employment” which concealed a place to set up “sex for rent” arrangements between landlords and young men desperate for a roof over their head.

Writes Strudwick:

“Looking for a white male 18-25 to come and join our household for a live in position,” reads one post on the Facebook group. “General duties will include cleaning, walking dog, shopping, cooking and general house projects… This position would ideally include sex and lots of affection from our boy.”

Another is simply a photograph of a young naked man, with his penis exposed, standing by a Christmas tree with the words: “ISO [in search of] True HouseBoy 18-25 White Slim Clean.”

“Live in the heart of Hollywood” is the promise in a further post, from a landlord seeking a “houseboy/personal assistant”. The landlord boasts, “My company deals with a lot of high profile clientele”, asks that respondents send photographs, and specifies, “Prefer young (but legal age) and very uninhibited types. Boy-next-door but with a wild side.”

Others insist on respondents replying with “face and body photos”, or have strict age limits, seek houseboys “with benefits”, or are suggestive of controlling dynamics. “Married couple here 40 and 46 seeking our forever boy for total and complete ownership,” says one.

Buzzfeed also reported that many of the same arrangements were being set up on Craigslist UK, and on Craigslist US before its personals section was shut down due to new sex trafficking laws.

Strudwick spoke to several of the young men who had become involved in these arrangements and ended up “raped, beaten, drugged, infected with HIV and treated as domestic slaves.”

Buzzfeed says that so far Facebook has promised that a representative would comment but that has so far not happened.

The post Investigation Finds Facebook is Enabling Gay ‘Sex for Rent’ Arrangements Targeting Young Homeless Men appeared first on Towleroad.

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