What is a sugar daddy and how does the relationship work?
A sugar daddy is a generous older man who spends lavishly on his mistress, girlfriend or boyfriend.
He’s often a businessman, who considers himself too busy for conventional dating – and isn’t short of a few bob.
A sugar baby, meanwhile, is normally an attractive younger woman who can’t afford her luxury lifestyle.
The couple will usually establish a financial agreement early on – as well as their boundaries, such as whether or not they’re considering a sexual relationship.
Some sugar babies ask for a monthly allowance, while other get ‘expenses’ in the form of glam holidays and shopping sprees.
While a growing number of sugar babies are university students, who turn to their ‘daddy’ to pay their fees.
According to Seeking Arrangement, the average sugar daddy is 45 years old – and earns a salary of £176,000.
While the average sugar baby rakes in £2,300-a-month ($3,300), making a comfortable annual ‘salary’ of £20,930 ($29,600).
It is so popular a Sugar Baby Summit was held on April 13 in New York, having been held in London last year.
The website described the event as: “Whether you need help getting a Sugar Daddy or you want to make new friends, Sugar Baby Summit has you covered!”
A range of lecturers and panels, including on subjects such as ‘Kink 101’, ‘Understanding sexuality in the #Metoo era’ and ‘Let’s talk money’ were held.
Former Love Island star Megan Barton-Hanson had a sugar daddy before she was on the show, and sources revealed she lived a very lavish lifestyle because of it.
The star owned a Range Rover Evoque, a posh pad in St Katherine’s Dock and “all the designer gear in the world.”
Is a sugar baby the same as an escort?
Sugar babies sometimes get bad press, mainly because of the issue of sex – and how it’s tied up in the financial relationship.
But the girls insist they’re not the same as a prostitute or escort, and there is some truth in this.
The key difference is that a sugar daddy relationship is a regular arrangement.
Where an escort might be hired for the night, or as a one-off to attend a fancy event, a sugar baby would be meeting her daddy several times a month.
Although unconventional, the sugar baby set-up is a relationship of sorts – meaning the women are very different from a call girl, no matter how high end.
Is a sugar baby relationship safe?
Those behind sites like Seeking Arrangement, What’s Your Price, Sugar Daddie and Rich Meet Beautiful insist it is safe – but how much truth is there in that?
Licensed prostitute Alex Page, from Nevada, where brothels are legal, has warned ladies against using “unsafe” sugar baby sites – after being grabbed by the hair and forced to have sex with her date.
One concern is that the sugar babies can be asked to meet at their daddy’s home or a hotel room.
Others worry that a man, having not only paid for the dates but extra expenses as well, would be more likely to expect sex.
So there are definitely some risks involved, and a sugar baby needs to be clear on her boundaries before entering into a relationship.
If sex is off the cards, make sure you’re only meeting in public places – like a restaurant.