A report on the increasing rates of Greek women in the prostitution industry in Greece and Greek women’s motive behind involving themselves in it, has generated a reaction within the country, including from the author of the study the report is based on.
The study conducted by a Panteion University professor that was publicized by The Times found that the vast majority of female sex workers, in Greece, specifically 80% of them, are Greek. This may initially seem obvious but as the reports notes, Eastern European women were the most prevalent in the industry in the past.
Gregory Lazos, a sociology professor at the Panteion University who conducted the research using information from 17,000 female sex workers in Greece over the past three years, noted that while the average price rate for one session was 50 euros it has dropped to as low as 2.50 euros for half an hour.
The Times story quotes Lazos as saying that some of these women do this just to be able to buy a cheese pie or a sandwich, while others do it to cover tax payments, bills or drug habits among other reasons.
The study and Lazos’s reported comments caused an array of reactions in Greece with the term “Eλληνίδες,” which means Greek women, as well as #tyropita, meaning cheese pie, trending on Greek twitter on Saturday.
During an interview with “To Vima” newspaper on Friday, Lazos denied that he ever said that young Greek women sell sex for a cheese pie.
Lazos also claimed that prostitution in Greece has increased by 12-12.5% in the past three years, while child prostitution in the country cannot be estimated. The professor estimates that there around 300 men involved in prostitution rings across Greece.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
