The online world has created new ways for people to express their kinky side, and one increasingly popular way is by broadcasting themselves on webcam. But the people behind these cameras aren’t always who you might think.
In many cases, the women who appear on cam sites are horny college students who work in their spare time. Using their laptops from the privacy of a library, they let viewers peek into their bodies as they strip and masturbate in return for “tokens” (the virtual currency that people use to pay for shows). Some of these women have thousands of followers watching them – and it’s not just dirty old men who are paying for their attention.
While some of these girls have a healthy balance between their professional lives and their personal lives, others fall into an addictive trap that can make them compulsive and withdrawn. The allure of camgirls is deep, and it goes beyond the simple allure of sex: The interaction with a performer creates an illusion of a connection that can feel very real to viewers. It fulfills a psychological need for acknowledgment and recognition, and it can be much more effective than traditional pornography because of the intimate nature of the interactions.
A recent Reddit AMA (ask me anything) by a French cam girl called Ufancyme shed some light on her profession and some of its drawbacks. She admitted that she has been trolled by her followers and has even been forced to do sex in private against her will by some of the male patrons. She also said that it can be difficult to make money because the majority of her earnings are spent on payment fees and the fees associated with the platform she works on.
But there are some perks, too. Her favorite part of the job is when she sees her name pop up on a chat list and knows that someone just bought her a show. And she likes to chat with her regulars, who are often young and attractive, and she’s found that the intimacy and kink she can share on the screen helps break down the barrier between them.
But the downside is that she’s not able to escape the digitised world that she lives in. She’s surrounded by pornography, flicking through girls on Tinder and Instagram and, in what seems to be a natural progression, now paying for female attention on camsites. It’s a dopamine fuelled environment that inevitably leads to addiction, and breaking free from it requires a multifaceted approach. Recognising the problem and seeking support – from professional counseling to website blockers – is the first step, but it’s essential to address underlying issues, such as low self-esteem and the need for validation. Alternatives, such as joining hobby-based groups or volunteering, can also provide healthier outlets.