Behind closed doors: The double life of an adult chat operator

It’s not a job that most people would think about, let alone consider as a source of income.

Being an adult chat operator in one of thousands of online chat rooms can be a profitable endeavour, but the wages of naughty has its drawbacks, too.

Michelle (not her real name) has been keyboarding hot-under-the-collar clients for four years.

She started chatting online as an additional source of income just after her 18th birthday to help put food on the table for her family.

Culture shock

It was a decision she had mulled over for some time.

“The attraction of being paid in dollars or euros, the favourable exchange rate and unlimited stream of clients made it a financially attractive opportunity,” she said.

Getting behind the keyboard and clicking her mouse to kinky was a bit of a culture shock at first.

“When I embarked on this journey,” Michelle said, “I wasn’t quite prepared for the bluntness and audacity of some men on the platform. Their requests, their tone, it truly caught me off guard.”

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Her initial discomfort wasn’t merely about the nature of conversations. An underlying moral dilemma lingered: was she leading these men on?

However, she recognised a common thread: it was all about fantasy play for them.

“Learning a significant majority of clients were married men, many of them well over 50, seeking interactions with personas of women in their early 20s. It certainly put things in perspective.”

That’s not to say she has not had the odd twenty or thirtysomething guy looking for a good time.

Job demands a flair

The job demands a flair for constant reinvention.

Michelle often finds herself switching personas, a task both mentally taxing and intriguing.

Clients select pictures and personalities the platform has pre-created and operators have to assume that persona. A basic outline of the woman that they must become is provided.

“Each message is a dance, shifting into a new role, a different persona” she said.

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Although the redundancy of similar conversations initially left her jaded and mentally exhausted, the financial reward became an undeniable motivation.

“Seeing that first pay cheque was an eye-opener.”

The income this job delivers for the single mom has become important and it allows her to spend more time with her child, too, because it’s remote.

Yet, societal perceptions have brought challenges.

Unspoken taboo

“There’s an unspoken taboo. Explaining my job to friends or potential partners was always fraught with anxiety,” she said.

“Talking naughty to someone, to another man, comes with its own set of challenges. But, the saving grace is that you are never yourself, always an alter ego.

“And in the end, I take criticism in my stride because the platform has provided an income opportunity that South Africa’s job market has not been able to.”

In a good month Michelle can take home upwards of R20 000 to R30 000. Slow months never dip below R10 000.

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While she has not explored other platforms, more visual and personal, like OnlyFans and Patron, Michelle said she may elect to expand her growing business to include these channels.

“I have just got to add to my multitasking skills and muster up a bit more courage to really put myself out there. But the earning potential is massive, and I have resolved to build a little empire of my own.”