The time-consuming pressures of work and family responsibilities has sparked a trend among China’s young adults of buying emotional connections from street vendors.
A section of young women are willing to sell such services, making them easily accessible and cheap to buy.
In April last year, Southern Weekly first reported on the “street girlfriend” phenomenon across the country, but it gained scant online attention, receiving fewer than 1,000 likes on Weibo.
Recently, mainland internet users have seen the service appearing on the bustling streets of Shenzhen, according to NetEase News.
Young women were reportedly observed selling hugs, kisses and their company from street stalls, reigniting widespread social media discourse about the paid companionship economy.
Next to a subway station in Shenzhen, a young woman set up a stall with a sign that read: “One yuan (14 US cents) for a hug, 10 yuan for a kiss, 15 yuan to watch a film together.”
Two other women set up stalls in a pedestrian street square, with signs reading: “20 yuan (US$3) to help with household chores, 40 yuan per hour to drink with you.”
Mainland reports suggest that some of them can earn 100 yuan in a single outing.
Opinions about the street girlfriends are mixed on mainland social media.
“These girls can pass the time at weekends and also get to meet many interesting people. I would love to try and chat with them,” one online observer wrote on Douyin.
“The street girlfriend activity is voluntary for both the customers and the girls. Also, it can be considered a way to relieve stress and socialise,” another internet user wrote.
Someone with an opposing view wrote: “Putting a price on women’s companionship is disrespectful and undermines their dignity.”
“This might be illegal, girls need to protect their safety,” another person said.
He Bo, a lawyer from the Sichuan Hongqi Law Firm, told the Post: “The ‘street girlfriend’ service currently operates outside the clear regulatory framework of existing laws and carries the risk of transforming into prostitution or sexual service transactions.
“All sectors of society can guide young people to seek other healthy ways to engage in normal social interactions to meet their social and emotional needs.”
There have been other reports of similar services being offered at other locations on the mainland.
In January, someone shared a photo on Xiaohongshu, saying they saw a young woman set up a stall offering “one-day lover” services in Dali Ancient City, a tourist spot in southwestern China’s Yunnan province.
The photo showed a sign that read: “One-day lover, 600 yuan a day. I can offer you the warmest care, including meals together, hugs, kisses, but no sex.”
