In Turkey, prostitution has been legal since Ataturk founded the modern republic in An estimated 3, women work in licensed, state-regulated brothels; another 30, await licenses. At one point, the female proprietor of a chain of brothels was the biggest taxpayer in Turkey. While licensed sex workers pay taxes and social security, and receive regular health check-ups, those without licenses work illegally, and are subject to harassment, police violence and fines, penalties and extortion.
Over the past decade, the ruling Islamist Justice and Development Party AKP has quietly closed dozens of brothels, leaving hundreds of women homeless and jobless.
Sometimes the demolition of a brothel is accompanied by fanfare and speeches on public morality and health; other times, the closure happens under the guise of a zoning issue. Despite its veneer of moderate Islam, is the AKP imposing its vision of morality on the country, one empty brothel at a time?
And where does this leave the women whose livelihood now falls outside of the law? Prostitution is still legal in Turkey, but this Muslim country is cracking down on the sex trade. Istanbul's licensed red-light districts have fallen from favor under the rule of Turkey's moderate Islamists, but tens of thousands of women still work illegally in the city's thriving sex industry. Newly elected parliament member Safak Pavey has an agenda - she wants Turkey to actually implement their laws protecting disabled rights.
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