Prostitution and its Effects in Northeast Turkey

following the opening of the border between Turkey and the Soviet Union in 1988, petty traders appeared in the towns of the Eastern Black Sea coast, establishing 'Russian markets'. They were soon followed by women who engaged in prostitution. The appearance of a great number of foreigners in a part of Turkey that had previously been virtually untouched by tourism has had an important imnpact on both the economy and local percerptions of the outside world. The visible presence and activities of foreign prostitutes have provoked a variety of reactions among local people in an area where the centuries old moral code has been scrupulously observed. The article outlines the diverse reactions of women in different social groups, and notes that while some women can use the situation to improve the control they exercise over their lives, the poorest remain the victims of exploitation - just like their foreign sisters.