Sharp increase in Irish students engaging in ‘sugar daddy dating’
The number of Irish students turning to “sugar daddies” to pay their way through college has more than doubled in the past four years.
According to The Mirror, US website, SeekingArrangments.com says there are currently over 10,000 Irish students using the service.
The website works by matching young women with wealthy older men who are willing to reward a 'sugar baby' with gifts and/or money in an arrangement decided by the two parties.
Potential reasons for the increase include the rising costs of accommodation, as well as college fees and student expenses such as books, laptops and transport.
Vouge Williams recently shone a light on the concept of “sugar babies” in her TV documentary Vogue: For Love or Money?.
The model and DJ became emotional after hearing the story of a young girl who had entered an arrangement with one of her uncle's friends.
“I honestly feel upset after talking to her. She is a really young 19. She currently has a sugar daddy,” she said
Adding: “She is a virgin so she hasn’t slept with anyone yet. She has told me she is really worried, she does not really want to sleep with a man over twice her age for the first time and ruin something special.”
Spokeswoman for the controversial website, Alexis Germany said: “We are not surprised by the increase in student sugar babies.
“Sugar dating is a way for students to get the money they need for school without dedicating precious study hours to low-paying part-time jobs.”
