The Czech Republic’s first five female “sexual assistants” specifically trained to provide paid services to disabled people have started work.
The organisation ‘Bliss Without Risk’ (‘Rozkos Bez Rizika’ – R+R), which helps sex workers and promotes the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, trained the assistants, reports Czech news agency ČTK.
In order to be licensed as a sexual assistant, applicants are required to complete special study courses and sign up to an ethical code.
In addition to sexual assistance the new workers will teach clients how to behave assertively, vocalise their needs, use sex aids, develop relationships and use contraception. They even provide consultations to the relatives of disabled people.
In order to avoid breaking the law on prostitution R+R is not able to mediate the assistance or profit from the new service.
Speaking at international conference on sexual assistance in Prague, R+R director Lucie Sidova said:
“The sexual assistants have been chosen carefully. They decided to do the work themselves. They have long-lasting experience with men and working with the human body.”
R+R first started looking into proving sexual assistants for the disabled two years ago. Supported by the Czech Finance Ministry it cooperated on the ‘Right to Sex’ project with foreign organisations already operating sexual assistance programmes.
Support was also received through the Swiss-Czech cooperation programme, as Switzerland is one of several countries that already promote sexual assistance. Other countries where sexual assistance programmes operate include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
R+R is going to run the service for at least the next year. After that it will review how it has operated and may then train a new set assistants.