Prostitution in Russia is surging in the wake of the country's financial crisis, Russian radio RSN reports. The number of women and men having sex for moneyβwhich is illegal in Russiaβhas risen by 20 percent as a result of the financial crisis that hit the country in late , according to Vladimir Zazhmilin, deputy head of the campaign group Vice Squad.
The group runs events with organizations that represent sex workers, and in Zazhmilin endorsed the decriminalization of prostitution , to better regulate the industry and maximize its economic contribution to the country. Vice Squad aims to function as an authority on prostitution and crimes within the industry that may go overlooked due to the police's focus on cracking down on the industry.
On Thursday, he estimated that there has also been a 35 percent increase in "non-professional" prostitution, where people offer their services through fake dating ads and instead of money take payment in commodities, such as new phones, computers and even food.
But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Official statistics estimate that there are 1 million sex workers in Russia, but Zazhmilin says the figure exceeded 3 million a long time ago. According to RSN, the association of sex workers Silver Rose confirms that the number of prostitutes in Russia has increased since The association's head Irina Maslova said that many who have turned to prostitution were once professionals who had lost their jobs.
Russia is expected to remain in recession until by estimates of the International Monetary Fund but this week the rouble jumped to a record high value for and is now at almost 69 roubles to the dollar. Weekly magazine, delivered Daily Newsletter Website access.
