Phone sex operators are classified as sex workers, but it’s pretty much the safest sex industry job around. Phone sex is primarily a conversation over the phone so there’s absolutely no physical contact. PSO (phone sex operators) do not have to take their clothes off to fulfil anyone’s sexual fantasies. All they need is a phone and their ability to titillate the person on the other end of the line.

Phone sex operators also have complete anonymity from their clients. Phone sex lines used to be run out of call centres, but now calls are rerouted and normally taken by women working out of their homes. Callers will not know the phone sex operator’s real phone number and they will have no idea where the women answering the phones are based or what their real names are.

There has been a stark increase in the number of mothers becoming phone sex operators because they can work in the comfort of their own homes and the flexible hours allow them to spend more time with their children. The financial incentives also lure them as they can typically earn $10 to $50 per hour depending on how much time and effort they put into it.

However, some single mums and stay-at-home mums often undertake a PSO job because they personally, or the town, city, or country they’re based in is suffering economic hardship. Some have just enough money to pay for their basic expenses and in order to help them sustain their other needs, they take up phone sex work. Many of these mums would like to work outside of the sex industry, but there may not be any jobs available, or they might not be sufficiently qualified for their dream job, whereas their phone sex job is the easiest and the fastest one to find. Australian readers may recall a disgruntled 67-year-old grandmother who criticised Prime Minister Tony Abbott over budget cuts and said that she was compelled to work on a phone sex line to make ends meet while battling life-threatening illnesses during an ABC Radio phone-in.

In the age of sexting, is phone sex a reliable form of employment that’s here to stay? It appears so. For some mums, phone sex work is easy and safe. It’s more like an anonymous show where the perks include being able to fold laundry while they perform.