I am so happy to see some recognition of making sure that the sex worker you hire is a) an adult, and b) not trafficked or exploited. It is my main pet peeve of Savage Love that while the utilization of sex work from a professional is encouraged, there has been no mention (that I've read over the past few years) of assuring that child and adult sex trafficking is being promoted, even accidentally. Thanks Dan!

Great advice as always Dan. But for the agoraphobic virgin, I'm compelled to add on a little. Like many 22 year-olds, his obsession with sex borders on psychotic (22 year old me - Guilty!!). It seems to me that just about anyone, including his loving and understanding family, suspects that a fling with a prostitute will almost definitely NOT help him with his social disorder. The excuse (can't pursue a job?? gimme a break!) will be gone, but what then? Maybe monthly or even weekly paid dates? Obviously there's no financial worry about the cost, this man is being fully supported anyway. Where the weakness prevails is that no one seems to have told him that all the sex in the world won't make him more socially adept - with ANYONE, let alone a potential partner. Being slightly agoraphobic myself, I can imagine how severe it can get for some. But over-coddling by paying all someone's bills - including paying for his prostitutes - is never going to help someone reach out to other human beings. If anything, tell the brother to get a paper route and save up the money himself, but make sure he understands that paying for sex does not lead to honest, fulfilling intimate relationships. I would have advised the sister to go with caution as well as deeper communication on the subject first. Isn't there a danger that losing his virginity to a paid sex worker might affirm his self limitation? He'd be going from being an anxious, agoraphobic virgin to being an anxious, agoraphobic non-virgin whose only sexual experience had to be paid for. From being a "late bloomer" to a guy that has to pay for sex. Self confidence doesn't come from having things handed to you, but from achieving things for your self. At this point the sex worker solution has been given your golden blessing, so its most likely a done deal by the time you read this, and for his family's sake I hope the boy feels better. But when the sister writes back to tell you her brother is still no closer to pursuing a job, having a social life or tackling the obstacles of life, recommend that he try socializing online, where he'll have unlimited "safe" opportunities to find out what behavior people do - and don't - find attractive.