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This article originally appeared on VICE Mexico.
Alejandra* is not a sex worker. She doesn't have sex with strangers in exchange for money, and she doesn't stand on a street corner at night waiting for clients. But she did recently spend half an hour having sex in exchange for free internet. The thing is, her salary doesn't cover certain things she wants—like a marble coffee table, bottles of whiskey, a washing machine, or WiFi. Alejandra also loves having sex—as long as she gets to choose her partner, of course. She, and a growing number of Mexicans, combine the two by trading goods and services for sex.
Bartering might be an ancient form of transaction predating the concept of money, but these days, if you want a driving lesson from someone in exchange for half an hour with your body, you can just go online. It's something that happens everywhere in the world, but it is a more common occurrence in developing countries—like my home country of Mexico.
I wanted to know what is being bartered for what exactly, and what kind of people are into it, so using the name "Pancho" I created a fake account on Mexican Craigslist pages, Facebook, and the Spanish bartering website ofrezcoacambio.com. Craigslist is not a particularly wild place as far as sex bartering websites go—but during my research, I did come across a woman who wanted to exchange sex for a conversation about literature. She described herself as a "lonely soul who won't look down on other people" and "a writer struggling to make a name for herself." Her ad wasn't explicitly bartering sex, but it was featured on the personal section of Craigslist, just under the "Woman Looking for Man" and "Casual Encounters" tabs.
The second most important barter network in Mexico is ofrezcoacambio.com. Even if most of its users seem to be from Spain, there is no shortage of Mexican ads. Here, you will mostly find horny gardeners, computer nerds, and plumbers offering to fix your garden, your tablet, or your pipes in exchange for a little affection. You'll find them simply by typing the word "sex" in the search bar.
Inside the Secret Facebook Groups Where Mexicans Exchange Sex for Services | VICE | United States
Alejandra* is not a sex worker. She doesn't have sex with strangers in exchange for money, and she doesn't stand on a street corner at night waiting for clients. But she did recently spend half an hour having sex in exchange for free internet. The thing is, her salary doesn't cover certain things she wants—like a marble coffee table, bottles of whiskey, a washing machine, or WiFi. Alejandra also loves having sex—as long as she gets to choose her partner, of course. She, and a growing number of Mexicans, combine the two by trading goods and services for sex.
Bartering might be an ancient form of transaction predating the concept of money, but these days, if you want a driving lesson from someone in exchange for half an hour with your body, you can just go online. It's something that happens everywhere in the world, but it is a more common occurrence in developing countries—like my home country of Mexico.
I wanted to know what is being bartered for what exactly, and what kind of people are into it, so using the name "Pancho" I created a fake account on Mexican Craigslist pages, Facebook, and the Spanish bartering website ofrezcoacambio.com. Craigslist is not a particularly wild place as far as sex bartering websites go—but during my research, I did come across a woman who wanted to exchange sex for a conversation about literature. She described herself as a "lonely soul who won't look down on other people" and "a writer struggling to make a name for herself." Her ad wasn't explicitly bartering sex, but it was featured on the personal section of Craigslist, just under the "Woman Looking for Man" and "Casual Encounters" tabs.
The second most important barter network in Mexico is ofrezcoacambio.com. Even if most of its users seem to be from Spain, there is no shortage of Mexican ads. Here, you will mostly find horny gardeners, computer nerds, and plumbers offering to fix your garden, your tablet, or your pipes in exchange for a little affection. You'll find them simply by typing the word "sex" in the search bar.
Inside the Secret Facebook Groups Where Mexicans Exchange Sex for Services | VICE | United States
