Middle-aged wives in China have been participating in a 'sex appeal training camp' aimed at teaching women tactics of how to seduce their husbands to refrain them from cheating.
According to a report by South China Morning Post, in July 2024 in Hangzhou's Zhejiang, a group of women paid a fee of 2,999 yuan (Rs 35,464) to attend a two-day camp.
The event was announced using a poster advertisement which read - "Sex appeal is a woman taking control of her life".
The women who took part in the event were made to wear form-fitting cheongsams with black stockings.
According to SCMP, the participating women attended lectures about 'essence of love' and were also taught techniques of sexual pleasure.
The topics of seduction covered on the second day of the event included - kissing, sensual dancing, and playful tearing of stockings.
The women were made to engage in role-playing exercises which aimed at teaching 'how to display female charm during intimate moments and situations'.
Majority of the women who attended the programme were from the 35 to 55 years of age group.
According to the publication's report, a 54-year-old woman anonymously shared her tale claiming that she had developed feelings for her son's classmate, expressing her concern about her reducing attractiveness.
Another participant said that she was a homemaker who is facing divorce proceedings after she found out about her husband's infidelity.
A single mother who attended the two-day event reminisced that her former had abandoned her and had run off with all the savings.
According to SCMP, the women found the programme interesting after reading its advertising slogan - "Reignite passion in your marriage, revive your erotic life".
The women opined that the programme helped them build courage in believing that even middle-aged women can be powerful and attractive by realising their self-worth.
Reportedly, the event was organised by a company named 'Sex Appeal Academy'.
According to SCMP, the female hosts and instructors of the event were 'advanced therapists in intimate relationships and sex', with one of them who is known as elves, having around 1,20,000 followers on Douyin, the mainland Chinese version of TikTok.
Though the women who attended the training camp felt self-worthy, but the event has garnered criticism as well.
According to the publication's report, a Weibo user said, "This is an unethical business practice that takes advantage of women who are vulnerable and anxious about their lives."
Another said, "These middle-aged women cannot discern right from wrong. We can improve our attractiveness healthily by reading and continuing our education."