Demographic data on prostitutes from Bulgaria- a recruitment country for international (migratory) prostitutes

Summary: The study was aimed at investigating the conditions and circumstances for the recruitment of prostitutes, as well as their reproductive history, working conditions, knowledge of and attitudes to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and use of prophylactic antibiotic therapy of these diseases. Two hundred prostitutes were investigated by in-depth interviews at STD clinics, private practices and hotels. Of the 200 prostitutes, 8 (4%) were less than 15 years old and 32 (16%) more than 25 years old. Most of the women came from rural villages. Half of them were gypsies. Most had a boyfriend (often the pimp). One-quarter had been or were on their way abroad to prostitute. Half were migrating within Bulgaria to prostitute. They claimed a high rate of condom use with customers, but seldom with their pimps or boyfriends. About one-tenth used antibiotics prophylactically. They had knowledge of classical STDs and HIV/AIDS but only in exceptional cases had they heard about chlamydial and human papillomavirus infections. They often cohabited with a female friend also often practising prostitution. It was concluded that recruitment is often easy as the prostitute can earn more from only one contact with a customer than their parents earn from work in a month. Symptoms suggestive of STD were very common in the prostitutes, i.e. in 43%. Bulgaria is a recruitment area for international prostitutes.