Prostitutes In Greece Demand Brothel License

ATHENS, Greece — Dozens of prostitutes, most using headscarves or hoods to hide their faces, demonstrated in central Athens Wednesday, demanding working licenses for brothels across Greece.

Prostitution is legal in Greece, and sex workers have personal permits to exercise their profession. But they can only do that by walking the streets, not using brothels. As a result, many end up working illegally and facing arrest because they operate out of brothels.

"We are here to put an end to our hardship and degradation," said Dimitra Kanellopoulou, president of Greece's sex workers' association, SEPE. "The situation is tragic, hypocritical and miserable."

About 100 sex workers held a rally outside the Interior Ministry, chanting: "We will not back down until we are given justice."

"We want to be able to work legally in brothels and not on the streets," said 47-year-old Maria K., who has been working as a prostitute for more than 20 years. She would not give her surname.

Kanellopoulou, the head of the union, said Interior Minister Yannis Ragoussis met briefly with union members and agreed to discuss their grievances, including cutting red tape and making it easier for prostitutes to obtain licenses.

Comments

[rissole]

07:25 AM on 01/22/2010

They could use our Supreme Court building.

[rougebaisers]

08:45 AM on 01/21/2010

Prostitutes are Angels in our midst. Just imagine where men would be putting things if they did not exist?

[JackiChan]

09:57 AM on 01/21/2010

America is a product of a land without brothels.

[boston998]

10:18 AM on 01/21/2010

Obviously, you have never been to Nevada.

[Momklok]

10:44 AM on 01/22/2010

You have go to be kidding. Just because it doesn't say "Brotherl" on the front, doesn't mean they aren't around. And most of the women labeled "prostitute" are sex SLAVES, and suffer all the abuse that goes along with being a female slave.

[ibsteve2u]

10:35 AM on 01/21/2010

I better not.

[ie]

07:13 AM on 01/21/2010

By all means, let them operate safely out of a brothel, like ours do here in DC-- it's called "congress".

[boston998]

10:19 AM on 01/21/2010

Good one. Only I don't like the screwing they give me.

[Momklok]

10:46 AM on 01/22/2010

And the Supreme Court yesterday made it much easier. Our elected officials are giddy with glee. They should all be branded on the forehead with the logo of the company who owns them now. Talk about prositutes.

[Wisdo]

05:19 AM on 01/21/2010

What a weird law: The greek government would prefer its prostitution visible on the streets of athens?

If its legal (and it should be legal, criminalising consentual sex for money just pushes it underground where the girls can be abused by pimps) - then it should be legal to operate inside a room. It makes no sense to only allow prostitution in the great outdoors. What is the thinking?

[russ327]

08:47 AM on 01/21/2010

like the u.s. marijuana tax law

[Amalek]

05:05 AM on 01/21/2010

Should have joined SEIU. That's an international union, right?

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

03:14 AM on 01/21/2010

Special niche? heh, heh, heh. Yeah, sure. That's what it's called. .....funny right there.
Need an Ape niche.....
Monkey sex you know....it's the best.

[Amalek]

05:07 AM on 01/21/2010

Had a buddy that answered a university ad for a man to have sex with gorilla for $1000. He told them he had three conditions:

1. His wife must never know.
2. Any children that arose from the union must be baptized.
3. He gets to pay the $1000 in installments.

[Momklok]

10:48 AM on 01/22/2010

Sick.

[chendri887]

12:56 AM on 01/21/2010

May God help them, and any woman (or man) stuck in that terrible "profession."

[rissole]

07:26 AM on 01/22/2010

You must be thinking of Joe Lieberman.

[Momklok]

10:49 AM on 01/22/2010

It is a crime against women. Most are sex slaves.

[fredgladys]

12:37 AM on 01/21/2010

Lets face it these women work in a service industry and they should be able to work in safety. What is the big deal about allowing them to work in brothels. It is just hypocritical to force them onto the streets where it is dirty and dangerous. Good luck to them.

[Momklok]

11:04 AM on 01/22/2010

Prostituion and "work in safety" do not belong in the same sentance. Just because it is legal for some women that does not remove the risk of abuse, STD's and even death.

[knightoftheroundtable]

10:52 PM on 01/20/2010

Wow, the got themselves a union and in good ol USA they tryin to bust unions. Maybe I will move to Greece

[nightwind928]

10:02 PM on 01/20/2010

"About 100 sex workers held a rally outside the Interior Ministry, chanting: "We will not back down until we are given justice."

Now there's a visual for ya!!!

[LMPE]

09:08 PM on 01/20/2010

According to Pat Robertson, these women made a deal with the Devil!

[tbirdalum]

10:59 PM on 01/20/2010

Thats because they would'nt give him a discount.

[peterg76]

07:20 PM on 01/21/2010

Robertson must be the Devil's broker.

[Balzac]

06:56 PM on 01/20/2010

Nice. Greece is a special culture, and not in the way most people like to imply.

[xlntcat]

06:11 PM on 01/20/2010

Well, they could always move to the C Street brothel. It operates tax free.

[sizgorich]

03:05 AM on 01/21/2010

awesome.

[MrUniteUs]

05:33 PM on 01/20/2010

Makes sense it would cut down on crime and traffic accidents.

"We want to be able to work legally in brothels and not on the streets," said 47-year-old Maria K., who has been working as a prostitute for more than 20 years."

20 years? I wouldn't want to walk a mile in her shoes.

[Wisdo]

05:22 AM on 01/21/2010

But you're assuming that because Prostitution is Illegal and seen as degrading in America ..and thus Prostitutes are treated badly and abused by all and sundry that this is the case everywhere. Some women do it because they want to, and in countries where it is legal and taxable it is not the hazardous and cruel life that it is in the USA.

[Momklok]

11:01 AM on 01/22/2010

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Ninety percent of the prostitutes in Greece are not legal, they are SEX SLAVES who were sold by their families or tricked and lured with promises of jobs as nannies or maids. My daughter volunteered with an organization that tries to rescue women from prostitution in Greece. Their group would go out in the evening and try to befriend them, they tried to tell them there were people who cared about them and want to help. They would help them get medical care (because slaves don't get basic human needs met) Most are Romanian and from North African countries. The women were terrified to even talk to them most of the time because their Pimps would beat the bloody hell out of them if they got caught. These women live in constant fear and pain, they are beating by the Johns and the Pimps, they are addicted to drugs and live a horrible, horrible abused life. So shut your stupid mouth.

[peterg76]

02:42 PM on 01/20/2010

Interesting juxtaposition of the headlines - " Greek Prostitutes Protest... Outsourcing increases... "