Lust, luxury and misplaced notions of healing can lead to the unthinkable, like in China, where 'milk mamas' breastfeed grown-up men for a price.
So much so that some women reportedly cut down on breastfeeding their kids or stopped it completely to produce and retain enough milk to breastfeed their customers. There are websites in China that link such women to customers, for a monthly price of about 40,000 yuan, or $6,436. Sex was also on offer, for an additional payment.
During an investigation to uncover a prostitution ring that caters to the fetish for breastfeeding, the police found out that over 200 people across China allegedly paid for the service. Fifteen men were arrested last month for their involvement with such websites.
The police first began their investigation after The Beijing News reported the existence of websites, in which young mothers offered to breastfeed adults.The websites list photographs of a selection of mothers for the customers to chose from, while the rates are discussed on messaging apps, WenWeipo reveals. Potential customers were offered membership deals costing 60 yuan ($9) a week, or up to 780 yuan ($125) a year. These memberships gave them access to details of willing mothers.
One of the reporters with The Beijing News had arranged to be breastfed by a 23-year-old mother, who also offered to have sex with him, for another 1,500 yuan ($241). Once the sting operation was exposed, the woman revealed that only those women who offered sexual services in addition to breastfeeding were assured to get regular work.
She said that on an average, websites offered customers a monthly service that cost 40,000 yuan ($6436) for breastfeeding, and 50,000 yuan ($8045) for having sex along with breastfeeding.
The Ministry of Public Security announced that police forces from Beijing and Hebei, Hubei and Jiangxi provinces in China were involved in breaking up the two gangs involved in the ring.
Human breast milk is considered a luxury for China's rich and is considered to have some healing powers in some regions. Generally, "wet nurses" who serve adults are paid an average of $2,600, in four installments every month.
