In his beautiful van, Jérôme Bénozillo prepares to start his tour of the Hood, this Tuesday, March 1 in Gerland, in the 7th arrondissement of Lyon. In total, he has to travel nearly 200 kilometers to distribute condoms and hygiene products to a hundred sex workers (TDS), as he prefers to call them.
Jérôme has been doing this Capotier tour for 18 years now, twice a week. Today, it is the biggest round which takes place every other Tuesday, where he distributes 7,000 to 8,000 condoms in Lyon and its outskirts.
A vocation and an important social role
But for him, it is not an obligation, rather a vocation: “What I really liked during these 18 years was that I was exactly in the niche that I would have loved doing all my life. I am self-employed, I am a trader, I earn my living, but I have an important social role”, explains Jérôme.
By selling his condoms 40 to 50% cheaper than in traditional shops (€20 for 144 condoms) and by offering many hygiene products such as hydroalcoholic gel, wipes or paper towels, Jérôme is seen as a savior for the people it supplies.
Lisa, a TDS that he meets during his rounds of the day, testifies to his importance: “Thanks to him, I can do this job. I couldn’t work without the equipment he sells us. »
Relationships of respect and friendship
If Jérôme is so important in the landscape of prostitution in Lyon, he had above all to learn to forge bonds of trust. Despite “many temptations and solicitations”, he never let himself be tempted, and never got into a truck: “I think that’s why they respect me. »
From now on, he even forms friendships with certain TDSs. While one of them offers him a bottle of red wine as a gift, he is also rewarded with “hero” or “very good friend”. He takes news of the families, inquires about their health, and answers their questions with pleasure. “Of all the prostitutes, there are 10 or 12 with whom I would like to keep a relationship,” he admits.
Time to retire to think of yourself
Indeed, after 18 years as Capotier, Jérôme Bénozillo would also like to retire. “Now I’m a little out of breath. I like them a lot, but you have to know how to stop. I want to travel, take time for my grandchildren, and party! he confides.
In talks with a few successors, he is still looking for someone capable of combining humor and relaxation. But he must also be “serious about business” and “respectful towards TDS, unfortunately too little respected by men”, warns Jérôme.
If the Capotier is impatiently awaiting the time of retirement, perhaps it will also be the time to recount in detail this unique experience that he lived for so long: “18 years with prostitutes, that’s the title of ‘a book ! I have to write it, but I don’t have the time,” he explains. Time, Jerome should now soon have some.