A popular joke among Russian oligarchs has one telling another, “I have bad news, I have lost $5 billion.” The second replies, “Well I have lost $7 billion. But the good news is that whores are back to costing $100.”
It may seem a typically Russian view of the economic crisis — selling and paying for sex makes up much of Moscow’s notorious nightlife, and some “night butterflies” say they are slashing their prices to compete. But they add a new kind of customer has emerged who wants emotional support, not sex.
Adriana, a prostitute in her 30s who works in the flat she shares with her 18-year-old son, said her role has evolved to being a shoulder for her customers to cry on: “They complain and many [now] don’t come for sex,” she said, downing a flute of champagne in a noisy bar and flicking back her jet-black hair.
She recalled a recent experience with a client whose salary had fallen by a third to 40,000 roubles (US$1,200) per month: “He stopped after three seconds and suggested we had drinks and talk.”
Sex drive and economic prosperity are strongly linked, said British sex expert, columnist and writer Tracey Cox.
“Lots of men define themselves by their jobs and how much money they make ... Our libido is definitely affected by times of financial difficulty. Stress is a huge contributor to [its] loss,” she said. “A prostitute is someone who is basically paid not to judge them for whatever they ask for ... she therefore becomes the logical person to talk to.”
Though illegal, paying for sex is widely accepted by many Russian men. The eight-lane highways that stretch out of the sprawling capital of 10.5 million teem with prostitutes, some of whom agree demand for sex has fallen.
“Now they often talk about work,” said Olya, who is in her early 20s and works independently without a pimp near the MKAD, the capital’s main ring road. “They are afraid of losing their jobs.”
On a Web site where men can search for prostitutes in their area, a banner invites them to de-stress by simply talking: “When your stock price is falling, what better way to relax than chatting with one of our girls?”
Moscow police decline to estimate how many prostitutes work in the city but media reports and rights groups say it houses more than 100,000 — roughly 10 times higher than estimates for London and New York. Police and law enforcement agencies often turn a blind eye to prostitution or ask girls for either a bribe of up to 6,000 roubles or free oral sex, several prostitutes said.
Moscow police declined to comment on bribe-taking, but said the fine for women selling sex was 2,000 roubles, and higher for pimps.
The number of Russian billionaires has halved in the last year to 49 as the financial crisis destroyed mass fortunes. With the unemployment rate currently at an eight-year high and salaries shrinking across the board, prostitutes are also cutting prices.
Pay levels for Moscow’s prostitutes vary widely, but many say they can eke out a decent living, earning at least US$2,000 a month dealing with several men a night. A small elite charges thousands of dollars per session.
Marina, 26, who offers sex through her own Web site, said she was now offering an all-night special at 6,000 roubles, a 30 percent discount on pre-crisis prices. Men also have ample anecdotal evidence that women from the provinces where unemployment is high are coming to Moscow and St Petersburg to sell sex, driving prices further down.
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