Anti-Poverty Information Centre, Bulgaria

1. Anti-Poverty Information Centre, Bulgaria PROSTITUTION AND DRUGS – UNKNOWN RISKS AND FAILED SOCIAL CHOICE (The case of Bulgaria)

2. First Approximation • Approximately between 9 and 20% of the prostituting individuals use drugs • Compared with the % of drug users in the general population – between 1,99% – 3,18%, we receive 5 to 10 times higher share of drug users amongst the prostituting persons

3. Estimates • According to the interviews, now the most common drugs are cocaine and amphetamines, “out of 10 prostitutes 9 are on cocaine and amphetamines, 3 are on heroin and 1 doesn’t do drugs” • Seems to be exaggerated

4. Dynamics of the liaisons between prostitution and drugs • Transition from prostitution to drug addiction • Transition from drug addiction to prostitution. • Both transitions are almost equally distributed which means strong link – an individual being in one of the states most probably will fall in the other as well.

5. “Fireplace” - Distributor • Supply to people from their close surroundings: • “She can sell drugs while she’s in the street, and, yes, she does that – selling to clients and to other people – friends, colleagues…”

6. ‘Mechanism’ of the connection between prostitution and drugs • The well known generators for drug addiction • The well known reasons for becoming a prostitute • Synergies between two states

7. Mental health • the connection between prostitution and drug abuse ‘passes’ through the mind or the psyche of the individual, through his mental health; • mental problems pushing the ‘transitions’ – going from onestate of the individual to another.

8. Mental Health (cont.) • A survey on the mental status of prostitutes of different nationalities in Zurich, reports a high level of mental disorders among the interviewed persons: a high level of mental pressure. The level of depressive and anxiety disorders in the surveyed group is higher compared to the general population • The survey of 46 prostitutes in South Korea reported a peculiar type of mental disorder – extreme stress with prostitutes, especially those having suffered from sexual abuse in their childhood. • The idea of the universal character of damage to the mental health of prostituting individuals is also substantiated by another research involving 5 countries– South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, USA, Zambia. 67% of all respondents match the criteria of posttraumatic stress disorder

9. Questioning the link with mental health • Some researchers contest the negative impact of prostitution on mental health • However, the lack of data about deteriorated mental health of prostitutes does not mean that their mental health is not in any serious danger; • Because of the specifics of these surveys, their results would have been more reliable if the surveys were longitudinal, covering a well selected group of one and the same individuals, and scheduled at carefully planned definite time intervals.

10. high levels of stress have different effect on the mind of different individuals. We should not be surprised then that there are different views about the influence of sex work on mental health – the elusive mechanism of stress, and what’s more, the continual high stress condition, is an essential part of the way prostitution affects the mental health, and this essential part is poorly known.

11. The survey in Bulgaria • does not allow discussing problems of psychological and psychiatric nature • the survey team was equipped with a psychologist. She observed closely the persons interviewed and was asked to make a general evaluation of the psychological status of each person after the interview. We do not attribute any special importance to these evaluations, but we will nevertheless mention they show that over 70% of the respondents display symptoms of deteriorated mental health.

12. Risks, stress and mental health • Some surveys are trying to expand the range of risks adding physical violence (73% reported victims), rape while prostituting (62% reported victims), physical assault (73% reported victims) • Stress factors – Negative moral value judgments; isolation; stigmatization (stigma on drug abuse is stronger than the stigma on prostitution).

13. ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE • criminal groups operating in the prostitution or in the drug sector can incidentally, in certain cases go from one kind of activity to another or combine the two kinds of activities.

14. SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVE • Fueling organized crime • Impact on public institutions • Impact on the economy • Impact on the rights and life of those practicing prostitution

15. Oppression Paradigm Versus Polymorphous Paradigm • Sexual services and performances - inherently oppressive, exploitative and universally harmful. • “Normal business” (“sex work”, “sex industry”) and the objective is to decriminalize this industry,

16. Monitoring the Paradigms • Oppressive paradigm – valid arguments – wrong conclusion: prohibition, underestimating the consequences of the prohibition (illegal practices and risks connected with them); • Polymorphous paradigm – invalid arguments –correct aim: however not simply legalizing • Adequate normative regulation

17. Impact of power centers on research and knowledge • The supporters of the polymorphous paradigm in investigating prostitution have noticed that definite centers of power not only adopt the prohibitionist paradigm, but they also influence scientific research by promoting studies within the course of the oppressive paradigm

18. Normative Framework EFFECTS OF PROHIBITIONIST LEGISLATION – CREATION OF “INVISIBLE” SOCIAL PATHOLOGIES AND UNKNOWN RISKS