I had a friend in university who had terrible luck with women. He had a lot of trouble meeting gals he liked, and was rejected a lot. It was sad, because he was a wonderful person. He felt unloveable and unattractive. I told him this was absolutely not the case at all. And he looked at me and said, "Really? Would YOU sleep with me?" as if that was an absurd idea. I told him that of course I would.
So we did. Just that once. It was wonderful to show him how much I cared about him. And I think he really needed to see that from someone. And honestly, our friendship didn't change, except to deepen.
Like I said, that's just one facet, more of a sex for healing type of thing. But maybe that makes my meaning a little clearer?
I think I get where you are coming from with this, but what I don't get is what your confusion is...
I used to be a friend that fucked their friends to show them I loved them when they thought they weren't worth anything to anyone. I slept with most of my high school friends as a result. It was awesome to be able to give like that.
Unfortunately one or two bragged about it and I got to be known as a slut. I was deeply hurt and began to lose trust because I didn't know which friend had bragged. Small towns in Northern Canada... gotta love em. Still haven't lived that down and my being poly now has not helped. They think its just an extension of my slutdom. To them being a slut does not empower... there is no new age of sex positive shit going on there.
I have a friend that just experienced the same thing as I had this last summer, and she is in her 30's. She saw herself as a sexual healer to her best guy friend until the guy began to mistreat her by using her for sex and seeing her as a slut. He would get drunk and brag about it and tell everyone that she was a slut so he fucks her because of it. Really awful but not uncommon. I think a lot of women and perhaps men are inherently sexual healers, but have been used and abused so often they don't trust any more and don't give themselves to others that way any more. Its become self preservation I think.
Its a fine line to tread I think and one must be very trustworthy and see when things are getting off course. The only women I have seen do it right are the ones that get paid. I have another friend that is a sex trade worker and she has john's that come to her home and pay for the service of being touched, loved and cared for and having sex. I once thought that should of been my vocation. I think I could handle the slut treatment in the context of being paid. Besides, its all usually underground anyway and the men don't confess to anyone they are buying sex, so no one gets the drunken "I fucked her cause she is a slut" comments. Woot, go prostitution. My friend cares for her regulars, but has a firm idea of where the boundaries are. I am thinking now of being a professional mistress for this very reason... no sex, but a whole lot of being bossed around by a woman that cares for her men. Who knows, maybe one day I might pull it off.
Of course it doesn't always happen that people get fucked over by those they have sex with out of care and love for the person they are with... people do benefit. It sounds like you have not experienced the down side TP. I dearly hope you never do...