'One yuan for hug, 10 yuan for kiss ...': Increasing 'street girlfriends' trend in China offers no-sex companionship

The growing pressures of work and family responsibilities have led to a new trend among young adults in China: 'street girlfriends'. This trend has become increasingly accessible and affordable due to the willingness of some young women to provide services such as hug, kisses, companionship but no sex.
The "street girlfriend" trend was first reported by Southern Weekly in April of the previous year, but it received minimal online attention at the time, with fewer than 1,000 likes on Weibo, according to a report from South China Morning Post.
However, the service has recently been observed on the busy streets of Shenzhen, according to NetEase News, reigniting widespread discussion on social media about the paid companionship economy.
In Shenzhen, young women have been seen selling hugs, kisses, and their company from street stalls. "One yuan (14 US cents) for a hug, 10 yuan for a kiss, 15 yuan to watch a film together," read a sign next to a subway station. Other women set up stalls in a pedestrian street square, offering services such as household chores and drinking companionship for a fee “20 yuan (US$2.8) to help with household chores, 40 yuan per hour to drink with you," reads another sign text. Reports suggest that some of these women can earn up to 100 yuan in a single outing.
Opinions on the street girlfriend trend are divided on mainland social media. Some view it as a voluntary activity that allows girls to pass the time, meet interesting people, relieve stress, and socialise. Others, however, believe that putting a price on women's companionship is disrespectful and undermines their dignity, with concerns raised about the potential risks to the girls' safety.
He Bo, a lawyer from the Sichuan Hongqi Law Firm, expressed concerns about the lack of a clear regulatory framework for the "street girlfriend" service, noting that it could potentially transform into prostitution or sexual service transactions. He suggested that society should guide young people towards healthier ways of engaging in normal social interactions to fulfil their social and emotional needs.
Similar services have been reported in other locations on the mainland, such as Dali Ancient City in Yunnan province, where a young woman was seen offering "one-day lover" services for 600 yuan (US$84) a day, including meals together, hugs, and kisses, but excluding sex.