Editor,

Reference is made to Paul Ntambara’s article, "Of the gigolos and the ‘get rich quick’ mirage” (The New Times, August 16).

Stripped down to its essence, this is really all about sex for favours, a practice that dates from the time of our cave-dwelling ancestors. It has always existed in diverse forms and degrees in societies across the world.

The greater decadence of our monetised modern society has accentuated the transactional nature of these kinds of morally bankrupt behaviour in which richer older men and women have acquired sexual toy boys and girls ready to sell their youth for the life of ersatz comfort and ease that those relationships can procure for them while their youthful attractiveness lasts.

Most do not realise the longer term costs of such a debased bargain.

Mwene Kalinda, Rwanda