TOUCHING
Nina, Edith and Ronald are sexual assistants. Their clients are people with disabilities, their job: to satisfy their desire for physical contact. Is this a form of prostitution? A study of a taboo subject.
"I'm no different to anyone else!" declares Torsten, who is confined to a wheelchair. "I want affection, intimacy and sexuality too!" The sexuality of people with disabilities is usually something that is avoided or even dismissed. But there are people like Nina, Edith and Ronald who see things differently. They refer to themselves as sexual assistants. Torsten knows this kind of sexual encounter is not what he wants in terms of love or partnership, but he can't and no longer wants to do without his meetings with Edith. Christine also misses a partner in her otherwise fulfilled and self-determined life. Both decide that as long as they are unable to fulfil their big dream, they will not suppress their desire for affection and physical contact. They contact sexual assistants. "Sexual assistance is a service that you pay for," explains Nina de Vries, a pioneer of sexual assistance in Germany. Is this a form of prostitution? The film takes a look at Christine and Torsten's wishes and desires, but it also highlights the skills and sensitivity sexual assistants need to be able to relate to their clients.