A New York Times piece focuses on how the economic crisis in Greece has affected professional prostitutes.
As the article points out, the oldest profession in the world has felt the double brunt of the crisis, as it has been hit hard due to the economic austerity coupled with the great migratory wave.
More and more women are turning to prostitution to make ends meet, such as Dimitra, who says: “I had a flower shop for 18 years and now I am here in need, not out of pleasure. They once called me Mrs. Dimitra and now I became a prostitute.”
According to Grigoris Lazos, a forensic professor at the Panteion University of Athens: “In 2012 the amount for a prostitute was about 39 euros, while in 2017 it is only 17 euros. It recorded a 56% drop “.
Women who work as prostitutes have also noticed that the crisis has affected their profession, as many of their clients promise to return to pay once they have cash, while they are constantly haggling to get a better rate for sex. Moreover, the majority of customers are now the immigrants who have flooded Athens, while the number of Greek men has fallen as most of them live below the poverty line.
