SEX WORK IN MACEDONIA

The largest part of the sex industry in Macedonia is performed in night clubs (usually operating as illegal brothels), bars and private apartments.
Open (street) scenes are existing in limited number, “but sex workers operating there usually are most burdened with a huge number of health, social and legal problems (low level of education and information for sexual and reproductive health, sexually transmitting diseases and protection, high level of risky behaviour connected to the drug and alcohol abuse, high level of violence, stigmatization, problems with personal documentation, `inexistence` in State institutions etc.)”.

Although there is some information that sex industry exists in Macedonia, growing and expanding in the last 15 years: “The state has still not built a clear normative system with exactly defined measurements and organs which would cover the prevention and following of prostitution and all of its collateral phenomena. Thus, at the moment, we are in a situation in which the problem with prostitution is dealt with by the organs of the Ministry of Interior, as a problem of disturbing the public order, tightly connected with criminal activities, and by centres for social work which are concerned with prostitution only in specific situations encompassing social issues. In line with this differentiation, both organs have different definitions and approaches towards this social phenomenon, do not follow it systematically, and have neither records nor any other data regarding it. The health aspect of prostitution is even less cared for”.
In the legal regulations of the Republic of Macedonia the performance of sex work, i.e. “resorting to prostitution” is a violation against the public order (art. 27 from the Law on public order violation in R. M), while some other activities regarding sex work (procuring, encouragement, earning by facilitating the provision of sexual services) are treated and penalized as criminal offences (Art. 191 from the Criminal Law of R.M. 1996).
However, in reality: “MOI makes not difference between prostitution and exploitation of prostitution, so that it undertakes measures for “eliminating prostitution”, instead of “eliminating prostitution exploitation” and consequently, undertakes drastic police measures against the victims of this exploitation, instead of the exploiters”.
All of this affects the dignity and human rights of sex workers, bringing them under constant threat (as a result of the selective change of the law and the existing negative stereotypes), which leads to an increase in the violence and stigma, creating distrust toward institutions, marginalization and creating hard-to-reach groups most exposed to infection with STI and HIV.

Due to the described situation, in January 2000, the NGO HOPS – Healthy Options Project Skopje, which has been developing drug use harm reduction programs since 1997, created an outreach program for HIV/AIDS prevention and STI among sex workers, working on the open scene (the street) in Skopje, and later among sex workers in the Roma suburbs in Skopje and sex workers working in the close settings (private apartments, massage parlours). In line with determined needs for the contacted sex workers, which could not be met by existing institutions, HOPS upgraded its services by introducing social, health and legal support services, developed a drop in centre for sex workers, started programs targeting clients of sex workers, but also families, partners and children, and continuously works on community empowerment which leaded to establishing of a newly informal sex workers group STAR.

Still, the program which HOPS is running is the only existing one in whole country, it covers limited number of sex workers and the services provided are available only to sex workers living and working in Skopje. Governmental and political authorities don’t consider sex work to be issue for discussion, except maybe as public health and HIV/STI prevention issue (Ministry of Health and grant supported by GFATM), media treats it only trough its criminal connectivity and sensationalism, general public is ignorant and interested in moral perspective, and human and labour rights perspective is missing at all levels.

All this emphasise the need of future greater involvement of sex workers and their allies in advocating and putting the sex work on the political and public agenda not just as a public health, but also as a human right and labour issue.