U-M, EMU students among those signing up to find 'sugar daddies' on dating website
The dating website SeekingArrangement.com recently published a list of the top 20 universities with the largest number of students signing up to be “sugar babies,” young people seeking financial help from older men or women in exchange for, ahem, companionship.
Part of the homepage from SeekingArrangement.com.
Michigan State University made the nationwide top 10, with 81 signups in 2011. New York University was first with 181 signups last year. See the full list here.
“In 2011, we saw an explosion in the number of college students seeking sugar daddies to help pay their college tuition,” Brandon Wade, founder and CEO of SeekingArrangement.com, said in a press release.
One in every two “sugar babies” who join the website today are college students, and college “sugar babies” now make up 40 percent of the site’s population, the release said.
The numbers and universities are identified by students who register on the site using their “.edu” email address. They automatically receive a free premium membership upgrade and are classified as “College Sugar Babies,” which receive three times more inquires from potential “Sugar Daddies,” the release said.
Comments
Ron Granger
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 3:13 p.m.
"sugar baby" = prostitute "sugar daddy" = john "mutually beneficial relationships" = acts of prostitution "seeking arrangement" = pimping That sounds like a lot of marriages.
Mike D.
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 1:43 p.m.
This isn't as simple as prostitution. While there is a sexual nature to some of these relationships, that isn't always the case. Some older people (even couples) enjoy the youthful energy of college students in their lives. While I wouldn't sign up to pay for such companionship, I can imagine single folks who would, and I don't see anything wrong with it.
snapshot
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 3:22 a.m.
bunnyabbot just described most 'stay at home moms'.
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 1:24 a.m.
Could be worse, I guess: <a href="http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/Mother-offers-self-daughter-for-sex-in-exchange-for-payment-at-Southgate-pawn-shop/-/1719418/8290196/-/d7259q/-/index.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/Mother-offers-self-daughter-for-sex-in-exchange-for-payment-at-Southgate-pawn-shop/-/1719418/8290196/-/d7259q/-/index.html</a>
David Martel
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 1:18 a.m.
Thank you to those that have expressed your concerns regarding the "contextual ads" that are being served adjacent to this article. We appreciate the concern. In addition to those ads we place for local businesses on AnnArbor.com, there is a small percentage of our advertising inventory that is part of a national ad network. This network aligns the ads which they serve to this position based on the presence of certain words on the page. In this case we are making adjustments to remove the dating site category of ads which should take effect shortly.
David Martel
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 2:37 p.m.
Bunnyabbot and Mike D. - Thank you for taking the time to provide your thoughtful comments and insight. We do appreciate the feedback.
Mike D.
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 1:47 p.m.
It's one thing to have a reputable national advertiser like a car company or a TV network, but most of the non-local ads look like trash and they make AnnArbor.com look like trash by association. You're owned by the same company as Conde Nast. Couldn't we see some lovely Vogue and Vanity Fair ads instead of this garbage?
bunnyabbot
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 5:56 a.m.
perhaps think about having a scrolling birthday announcement bar or "bullent board" "ticker" that people can put a simple message on, like they do at Tiger games. Happy 40th sue, will you marry me, all widgets 20% off this week at store blah blah. Much better than some zoosk ad that I see forty other places online.
bunnyabbot
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 5:53 a.m.
@ David, the problem with the aligning of certain words it is often that posts involving stories like this you get the dating ads and sports (so targeting men readers?). readers have noted inappropriate ads on other articles involving assaults with women victims in particular. (like strip club ads) Other crime stories will have attorney ads on them (chase any ambulances lately?). Perhaps it is just to risky to have "word presence" generating ads in certain categories. separately I will say that I do not like the non local ads. I think they cheapen the website. It also shows me (as a local shop owner) you are not selling enough ad space. I can only guess this is due to your price schedule, which I have seen and is too high for local small businesses to even try.
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 1:04 a.m.
I'm guessing UM is low on the list, since those fine students don't need the money from a sugar daddy. They just make porn. <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/university-of-michigan-students-conduct-porn-on-campus-against-university-guidelines-1/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/university-of-michigan-students-conduct-porn-on-campus-against-university-guidelines-1/</a>
smokeblwr
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 12:16 a.m.
How many monies do I need to be considered a Sugar Daddy? I'd like to get in on this action.
smokeblwr
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 12:21 a.m.
I see the Malhotra Plastic Surgery ad on this page is offering a discount. Maybe I should do some touch up work before I sign up.
Alan Goldsmith
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:44 p.m.
Thanks to the newly organized Booth Newspaper outlet in Jackson for their hard core investigative reporting.
Joe_Citizen
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:32 p.m.
This is happening on more than one website, and both males and females are doing it. I found out because one of my clients told me they had signed up for it, but it was Craigslist. I'm certain it happens on most dating sites. It is an illegal practice and this website should be shut down. It's prostitution either way. On Craigslist, it has a flag you can click on if you see an illegal add/post. This site advertises it's intentions and it is an illegal practice in the USA online.
Mike D.
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 1:48 p.m.
Escort services are legal unless they promise sex.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:32 p.m.
I know a few women who worked their way through college as strippers. I don't think that means they have low self esteem or anything like that. It was more that they had an asset (youthful good looks) that wasn't going to last long so they chose to cash it in for a more a lasting one like a college degree. I would have done the same but my low self esteem and body issues prevented me from getting naked in public.
bunnyabbot
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:17 p.m.
oh dear God, first the ad on the top of the page was for over 40, even though the chicked looked like 22 and now we have the asian dating ad with a chick that looks to be 15. well played annarbor.com, well played.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:33 p.m.
I wonder how they pick the ads because I'm just seeing one about hockey and I absolutely loathe hockey. I would be a hooker before I would go to a hockey game.
halflight
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:05 p.m.
Seems like time for honesty in advertising: "sugar baby" = prostitute "sugar daddy" = john "mutually beneficial relationships" = acts of prostitution "seeking arrangement" = pimping "student" = anyone with an ".edu" e-mail address
bunnyabbot
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 9:39 p.m.
And nice how the rotating ad above is another dating site. Just cheapens the website more.
bunnyabbot
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 9:35 p.m.
this only helps to show that you have a whole generation of people that have low self esteem, don't feel their futures are bright (perhaps because they have no sense what future means), do not know how to control impulses, seek instant gratification/solutions to immediate problems rather than thinking things through. You also see that young woman have come to regard thier bodies/companionship as a vehicle to get gifts (oh and the "gifts" they may get) money/material things rather than a vessel for the Spirit. Part of this is due to the break down of the family, participation in a church and mass media saying that casual sex is ok, normal and easy/no big deal. Disease, unplanned pregnancies, shame/self loathing (and all the distructive things that come with that) are only a few things that can happen, however a whole generation sees reality tv lives as acceptable and ideal and completely normal. It is not normal, glorified but not normal. As for the men who seek "companionship" on these sites they are nothing more than predators, sure everyone might be of consensual age but they are still predators none the less.
bunnyabbot
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 5:44 a.m.
@justcurious we can Pray as much!
justcurious
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 : 12:39 a.m.
Well said bunnyabbot. But all of these values need to be taught at home..early and often. Strong, consistent parenting can go a long way toward helping a child tell what's real from what isn't worth anything.
Joe_Citizen
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:41 p.m.
It has to be just the men??... Are you saying that women are all alone in this? and that they would never have a sugar baby? I highly doubt it, and know it's not true. Women are just as guilty of being sugar mama's.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:28 p.m.
I agree with you that this is straight up prostitution but what I don't understand is why selling one's body for sex is significantly different from selling one's body for any other kind of labor. Prostitution should be legal.
GirlNextDoor
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:11 p.m.
Well said, bunnyabbot! I think (hope) the college girls who use their bodies as a ways to a means are few and far between. I don't know how their future years could be any better than their college days; feeling that they need to rely on men to "pay" their way in life.
bunnyabbot
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10:01 p.m.
ok, we'll call them janes and johns, however if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and spreads like an eagle it's probably a prostitute.
jcj
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 10 p.m.
Glad you clarified that. I posted mine before this was posted.
jcj
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 9:56 p.m.
The prostitutes are called "young women" while the men are called "predators" how convenient! Call the men what you will but it appears that in this case the "young women" are signing up to be "sugar babies," young women seeking financial help from older men The men are no more and no less "predators" than the women!
bunnyabbot
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 9:53 p.m.
also meant to add this is just prostitution by another name, whatever they are all calling it to make themselves feel better about it (for a while). That basically makes this a legal form of (sex) slavery.
bunnyabbot
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 9:51 p.m.
*consenting age
MIKE
Wed, Jan 18, 2012 : 9:09 p.m.
How much did SeekingArrangement.com pay for this ad?