The suitcase and sex industry in Turkey: experiences of sexism and racism of migrant women from the ex-Soviet Union. Draft.

A substantial number of women who migrated to Turkey from the Commonwealth of Independent States throughout the 1990s have taken up sex-work as a means of livelihood. Given the nature of the trade and their status as migrants the women face harsh conditions. Often they are illegal aliens having to deal with the `visa mafia; most have to engage in their work without the use of condoms and take the risk of sexually transmitted diseases; neither the officials of their consulates nor the Turkish authorities provide the women with any protective or support services on the contrary they are frequently subject to harassment by members of the police forces. As migrant sex workers there are no established institutions to which these women may turn for services. While the women enter the trade out their own will for economic reasons they pay a high price in return. (authors)