I agree, that being open about that is completely key. When I was very young (1970s) I had a few female friends that I had no interest in dating, and they had no interest in dating me, but we agreed we were available to each other during times we were single and needed some sexual attention. It went both ways, and we always practiced safe sex. I would say any one of them hit on me out of need, over those few short years, as often as I hit on them. It was always discrete, and polite, and quite frankly, quite fun, because there was no romantic baggage. No expectation. Other than pleasure and release. And it made it clear to me then, that sex was as important for women as it was for men, but more fraught with risk. And if you could be cooperative on the risk (one word, condoms) and open about what the physical needs and desires were (learn how to use your hands, gentlemen) the physical aspect of it could be mutual and joyous.

Those years ended for me a long time ago, but they were important, for me, and for my partners at that time.