The COVID-19 outbreak in Greece has hit the profession hard. Greece was completely sealed off in March 2020 and de facto all forms of legal prostitution were closed. In May, the government began to gradually lift restrictions, but sex work was officially allowed again from June 15. Nevertheless, regulations for the safe practice of prostitution require the use of masks, cashless payment, and clients who provide their name and phone number. Sex workers complain that these measures are incompatible with this type of profession. Especially when it comes to the need for customers to remain anonymous. One possible consequence could be an additional boost for illegal sex work. The legal status of gender-related professions has been a rather controversial issue in recent decades. Some consider such a profession as an objectification of the female body, that is, as something that should be prohibited. Others see it as a basic service to properly regulate when chosen voluntarily. In Greece, sex work is not considered a profession, but a legal «activity». Sex work legislation in Greece is linked to employment conditions.
Health examinations are mandatory to obtain a license to work as a sex worker. This legislation applies to all persons wishing to work in the sex industry (nationals, EU citizens or migrants), with the exception of minors (< 18 years old) and married women. The study showed that most Greek women who have just entered prostitution are between 17 and 20 years old. To make matters worse, as part of the safeguards, the Greek authorities are proposing that customers use credit cards to pay for their services – an impossible demand for establishments operating illegally. In what could be seen as a glimmer of hope on the horizon of the pandemic, officials from the Ministry of Civil Protection and municipalities said they are beginning to register illegal brothels to make them legal through changes to the law. Prostitutes are only allowed to work in state brothels (so-called studios). [4] Women must be over 18 years of age; bachelor; have the right to live and work in Greece; be free from sexually transmitted diseases; do not suffer from mental illness; are not addicted to drugs; and have not been convicted of murder, pimping, child pornography, human trafficking, robbery or extortion. You must register with the local prefecture and have a medical card, which is updated every two weeks. [4] Sex is completely allowed by prostitutes and is a good source of income for Greece. [To whom?] The "residence permit for the practice of prostitution" and the "professional certificate" are the general principles that allow a person to work legally as a sex worker. The professional license is valid for three years and only within the limits of the prefecture that issued it.
For foreigners whose residence permit is valid for less than three years, the driving licence is valid for the same period as the residence permit. Sex work is not illegal in Greece, but it is also not recognized as a profession. As a result, sex workers do not enjoy the protection of labour law and are not considered employees. Another fact worth mentioning is the fact that male sex workers who sell sexual services to homosexual clients (Article 347 of the Criminal Code on «unnatural intrigue») are punished, while male sex work with consenting female clients is implicit, as there is no punishment for it. Prostitution in Greece is legal and regulated at the age of 18. [1] It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 women are legally employed as prostitutes and about 20,000 women, half of whom are of foreign origin and the other half Greek, are engaged in illegal prostitution. [2] [3] [4] Many women affected by the economic crisis have turned to prostitution because of poverty. [4] Meanwhile, many women are forced to break the rules to feed their families by working illegally and defenselessly on the streets.
The economic crisis that has hit the Greek country in recent years has significantly increased the number of illegal prostitution practices. Many women resorted to sex work to survive, and those who could not work in an official brothel decided to take to the streets. Many sex workers and matrons (elderly prostitutes who run brothels) complain that clients have become fewer and fewer since the crisis began. In a dense city, this restriction makes virtually all existing brothels illegal. According to Red Umbrella Athens, more than 600 brothels operate illegally in Greece. Advertising is illegal but common, and the number of street prostitutes is increasing. [4] Pimping and pimping are illegal. [8] According to Greek law, for a brothel to operate legally, it must be at least 200 meters from public places such as hospitals, parks, churches, schools and stadiums. Prostitution is legal in Greece, but very few brothels in the country are allowed, the newspaper reported, pushing many of the estimated 18,500 prostitutes working in Greece onto the streets. Is legal: Article 1 provides for the aforementioned professional authorization for persons. The qualifications for obtaining the certificate are fulfilled by any person who has existed in virtually every company since ancient times. In the case of ancient Greece, prostitution was legal and practiced freely in organized brothels.
Sex workers were usually slaves («pornaides») who could not marry or attend public events. The situation of hetairai, educated prostitutes who were hired to entertain at banquets and other events, was quite different. The Hetairai had much more freedom than the Pornai, but they still occupied a very low position in society. Another sensitive aspect with regard to sex work in Greece is the risk of trafficking in human beings. In recent years, the country has experienced massive migration from the Middle East and Africa.