A FIFTH of Swindon's prostitutes are male, according to a gay support group in the town.

Swindon Gay Men's Health says many operate as rent boys to earn money to supply a roof over their heads.

But it says it is difficult to track them down because many operate covertly through graffiti on toilet walls.

Now a new project is being set up to investigate how male prostitutes can be reached and helped.

It follows revelations made by Swindon's Druglink that girls as young as 14 are selling their bodies for the money to buy drugs.

At the end of a council meeting to discuss the issue, Coun Doreen Dart (Con, Blunsdon) asked the Swindon crime and disorder partnership to investigate whether male prostitutes are working in the borough too.

Gary Jefferson from Gay Men's Health said: "It's very difficult to categorise rent boys because the way in which they operate is very different to that of female sex workers.

"For one, rent boys don't usually refer to themselves as prostitutes or advertise their services in the same way. They often call themselves male escorts. And you won't often find boys standing on street corners either. They do advertise in public toilets however and I've even seen their price lists written in graffiti."

Gary says that some rent boys are even heterosexual men who exchange sex for designer clothes or trainers, just to keep up with their peers.

Technology also plays a large part in the rent boy trade. They use mobile phones and text clients but most of the time they are pretty much invisible.

Some advertise their services on websites subtly offering themselves as male escorts, while others blatantly advertise the sexual services they provide.

The elusive nature of rent boys may make it difficult for support groups to track them down and offer them help, but groups like Gay Men's Health are on hand to offer anonymous help, advice and products to prevent the spread of HIV.

"In surveys we've been involved with in the borough, we've found that of roughly 60 teenage prostitutes working at one time, about half a dozen are male," says Gary. "But that figure can go up and down as boys move around from places like Bristol and Birmingham.

"Some of them also drop in and out of the trade, going back to it when they need to."

Following councillor Dart's request, Miriam Minty, co-ordinator of the Swindon crime and disorder partnership has pledged to look into the extent of the problem in the town and if required, explore ways in which all the different agencies involved can take the issue forward.

Mr Jefferson added: "It's good news that the council is looking into the issue in Swindon and while the crime and disorder partnership works to get pros-titution off the streets of the borough, groups like Gay Men's Health and Druglink will continue to try to intercept and help the people at risk from it."

www.gmhp.demon.co.uk