Tais Plus, Rainbow etc. are Western-funded structures that actually support and propagate prostitution (liberally enough) in order to destroy the country’s social tissue so that external forces can better colonise and exploit it.

Yes, please post if you find those numbers. And if they’re not out, well, then, sounds like a great survey or dissertation project for someone. HIV rates among sex workers are so central to getting a pulse, so to speak, on where the virus is headed.

IMO, ‘poverty’ plays a role but it is not enough to explain things. I think it’s also a matter of mentality. During the ’90s, prostitution (both supply and demand) has been actively promoted as a secular virtue in the name of ‘friidum’ by both the establishment and certain Western organisations to destroy the social tissue and better oppress the people (as one writer put it: ‘wine, song and dance as an antidote to dissent’).

If created/s friction and hatred. I know the example of a European NGO that had to close its HIV-prevention programme in Osh and Batken province already in 2002 after they ran into local accusations that they ‘promoted prostitution’. Indeed ttheir naïve advocacy materials and the personal behavior of some of their expat workers gave ample ground for misunderstandings.

“Thirdly, whenever I hear of yet another ‘morality’ attack on sex workers, I ask ’so who are the clients?’. The MPs, Gansi soldiers, businessmen, men who come from villages to the city for fun or to sell something, and last but not least the Summit participants!”

Yes and certain European expats working for IFIs and some of whom are even involved in the setup of sex tours to Bishkek.

I agree though that the largest demand side is local. IMO it’s the result of a certain loser notion of ‘manhood’ that revoves around a) heavy boozing and b) treating women like shit which involves using lots of prostitutes.

BTW, there is a related thread with debate here: http://kyrgyzstan.neweurasia.net/?p=30

Second of all, the police does make a lot of money on sex workers through bribing networks. You can find more information about research on this issue in Russian language at this website http://www.volvox.in.kg/files/prv/PoliceSWAssessment_ReviewFINAL_ru.doc

Thirdly, whenever I hear of yet another ‘morality’ attack on sex workers, I ask ’so who are the clients?’. The MPs, Gansi soldiers, businessmen, men who come from villages to the city for fun or to sell something, and last but not least the Summit participants!