But one advertisement warned: “Please don’t ask for or expect kissing or face to face services ... My premises are not accessible to anyone other than myself and extensive disinfecting will take place before your visit so please understand the necessity for a $20 rise.” Sex workers say that while many private escorts are opting not to work for the safety of themselves and the community, others felt they had no choice because they needed the money to survive. This escort says he disinfects all 'high touch' surfaces between clients. “Many private sex workers are also international students who aren’t eligible for Centrelink benefits,” one male escort explained. “But it’s also a two-way street – men are seeking out these services. I’ve decided not to work but even as I’m speaking to you, I’ve had two messages from clients wanting to hook up.”

The trend highlights another challenge authorities face in keeping people socially separated amid the global pandemic, particularly when it comes to consensual sex and unlicensed sections of the adult industry. Many of the online ads seen by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald appeared within hours of new measures ordering the closure of brothels and other licensed sex venues, which kicked in at midnight on Thursday. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video However, while some sex workers and clients are flouting social distancing rules, others are following government directives, resulting in financial hardship for many. Jane Green, from Vixen Collective, said the impact of travel restrictions, venue shutdowns and social distancing had an “unprecedented impact” on the sex worker community, which has urged the state government for some form of emergency relief.

The national peak body for the industry, Scarlet Alliance, has also created a public fund to support sex workers to stay housed and fed during the crisis. Much of the private escort industry is not formally licensed, partly due to the stigma associated with being a sex worker and because of the complex maze that people must navigate in order to be registered. In Victoria, for instance, to work in the industry, you must provide your full identity to the government's business licensing authority, which some fear would “out” them publicly, risk their privacy, or affect their future job prospects. Figures show there are a total of 115 licensed sex work business operators and 616 approved brothel managers in Victoria, however, many individuals work in an “underground” market, advertising online without a license and meeting clients in their homes or at booked hotels and motels. Street prostitution, meanwhile, is illegal.

Loading "The complexity of the registration process means that many people are operating without a licence, and this makes enforcement and compliance a challenge for authorities," said Sex Work Law Reform Victoria spokesman Roger Sorrenti. On Thursday a Sydney massage parlour became the first business to be fined $5000 after being caught by police operating outside NSW’s new public health rules. In Victoria, which recorded its first COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, a dedicated taskforce of 500 police has been set up to enforce restrictions, with fines of up to $20,000 for individuals who do not comply or $100,000 for companies or corporations. As of 9pm on Wednesday, 88 spot checks had been completed in Victoria of which 12 people who were supposed to be in isolation were found to not be home.