When you think of Valentine's Day, you usually think of flowers, fancy dinners and gifts.
You'd assume not many people would pop to see a sex worker, but according to Catherine De Noire, who manages a legal brothel, many men do pay a visit to her establishment.
De Noire describes herself as 'the manager of one of the largest brothels in Europe, a researcher focused on sex work, an OnlyFans creator, a cat mom to two lovely Bengals, and a red wine lover.'
When it comes to February 14, she spilled the beans about what really goes on behind closed doors on the most romantic of days.
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Are husbands and boyfriends really sneaking off to the brothel on Valentine's Day, or is it just single men looking for connection on what can be a lonely day for so many?
You might think that it would be a quiet day, but not so, says De Noire.
"Valentine’s Day is quite a busy day in terms of customers. During working hours, the venue is mostly visited by married men or men in relationships who want to spend some time with their favourite sex worker and maybe bring her flowers or a small gift," she said.
"At night, the club is filled more with single guys who don’t want to be alone on Valentine’s Day, so they either go out with friends for a few beers and then end up at our place, or they come straight to us."
It can be a lucrative day for the women who work in the brothel if they choose to work. On the other hand, many sex workers are in relationships themselves, so they usually spend Valentine’s Day with their partner. Some, however, do work on the day – and some of them charge premium rates."
De Noire insisted the experience isn't just about the physical side of things, though, and that often it is about company and fending off loneliness.
"Very few men come in, pull down their pants and want ‘just’ sex," she said.
"Most of them want to talk, they want to feel like they’re with a real human being and not a robot. But I do think Valentine’s Day is a day when loneliness hits some men harder, and they don’t want to spend it alone or wander around bars full of single people, so they’d rather pay for a nice experience," explained the manager.
As an establishment, De Noire says they don't offer any special deals or packages.
"We leave that to the sex workers themselves, because in our club they decide on their services and prices independently. Announcing Valentine’s specials for sexual services would go against our approach. We believe that’s something sex workers should decide for themselves," she explained.
She said it's a personal decision for each sex worker, adding that: "In previous years some of them decorated their rooms or wore heart-themed lingerie, but that’s entirely up to them."
Catherine De Noire is speaking on behalf of Erobella.
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Lifestyle
Jen Thomas