Prostitution in Georgia is illegal but widespread, particularly in the capital,Tbilisi.[1][2] ManyNGO's attribute this to the harsh economic conditions according to theUS State Department.[3]Prostitution occurs on thestreets,[4] in bars, nightclubs,[5] hotels andbrothels.[6]UNAIDS estimate there are 6,525prostitutes inGeorgia.[7]
TheBlack Sea resorts become asex tourism destination in the summer months. Many prostitutes, mainly Central Asians and Russians from theNorth Caucasus come to the area. Due to the close proximity of theTurkish border, and no visa requirements for Turks, many men from Turkey come to the area to find prostitutes.[8]
Child prostitution is a problem in the country.[2][5]
Prostitution is punishable by a fine.[4] Related activities are prohibited by the criminal code:[4][9]
Prostitutes are sometimes arrested for public order offences.
Georgia has a high rate ofSTIs, especially near the Turkish border.[citation needed] Although UNAIDS report highcondom use between sex workers and clients (95.4%), sex workers are a high risk group.[10] Infections are usually transferred during violent attacks by clients.[11] Stigmatisation prevents some sex workers accessing healthcare.[11] There is a 10.8% activesyphilis rate and 0.7%HIV prevalence amongst sex workers according to UNAIDS.[12]
Condom andlube distribution and also redirection for treatment are provided by the NGO Tanadgoma.[4]
Georgia is a source, transit, and destination country for women and girls subjected to sex trafficking. Women and girls from Georgia are subjected to sex trafficking within the country, in Turkey, and, to a lesser extent, inChina and theUnited Arab Emirates. Georgia is also a transit country for women from Central Asia exploited in Turkey. Women fromAzerbaijan and Central Asia are subjected to forced prostitution in the tourist areas of theAdjara region and in saunas, strip clubs, casinos, and hotels. The majority of identified trafficking victims are young, foreign women seeking employment.[13]
In 2006 the country incorporated into its domestic law theProtocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the UN Convention againstTransnational Organized Crime, and the Council of EuropeConvention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.[3] The punishment for human trafficking in Georgia is 15 years. There is also a special law to protect families of Georgian women who fear reprisals from gang masters of women who refuse to be forced into prostitution abroad.
The government investigated 12 new cases of sex trafficking in 2016, compared to 11 in 2015. The government prosecuted one defendant for sex trafficking in 2016, compared to two defendants in 2015.[13]
The United States Department of StateOffice to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons ranks Georgia as a 'Tier 1' country.[13]
AlthoughAbkhazia andSouth Ossetia have declared independence from Georgia and are self-governing, they are not generallyinternationally recognised.
According to Georgian officials, prostitution inAbkhazia is rampant, including child prostitution. HIV amongst sex workers is estimated to be 60%-70% in some areas.[14]
Following the conflict inSouth Ossetia, many men left to work inRussia. Some of the women who were left behind were forced to turn to prostitution to survive. Many adolescents have also turned to prostitution and child prostitution is a problem,[15] especially in the capital,Tskhinvali.[16]
