The significant increase in the number of Ukrainian women involved in the sex industry in Germany is partly due to the difficult economic conditions caused by the war and economic crises in Ukraine. Due to the loss of jobs, homes and social support, many Ukrainians have tried to find a way to survive abroad.
Half of the prostitutes in Berlin's brothels are now Ukrainian, according to local newspaper Die Welt.
These statistics are provided by a social worker from a social welfare organization in Berlin.
“Ukrainian women used to be underrepresented in this environment. Most of the women we work with in Berlin actually come from Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, and now from Ukraine. In the brothels now it’s 50 percent, I would say. There are a lot of very young women who came here because of the war,” says Mia.
In her experience, many Ukrainian women are unaware of their rights in Germany, and have been “instilled with a great fear of the employment center.” They are afraid that after applying for a job, their experience in prostitution will become known.
Refugees also lack housing, so some prefer to work in brothels rather than live in shelters. Sometimes women were forced into sex by men who promised them free housing and then arranged for them to work as prostitutes.
