Sex for Some Food? – Prostitution in Mexico During Covid-19

The current situation is disastrous in Mexico when it comes to prostitution. During the pandemic, many women have no other choice but to become prostitutes just to survive these hard times. The reason why this is particularly prevalent in Mexico is because 40 percent of the population there is extremely poor.

Thanks to the Coronavirus, the job market has even less work to offer than before. Countless families are literally starving there, which forces women in those families into offering sexual services. This also exposes them to violence and blackmail.

More than 15,000 Prostitutes on the Streets of Mexico

The streets of Mexico City are currently full of prostitutes looking for their next client. Currently, it costs as much as 2 Euros or a bag of groceries to have sex with a prostitute there. There are no men working in most households, as they have lost their jobs.

The shops are closed while people have rent and bills to pay. Many women are out on the streets selling their bodies as a means to get some food for their children. Since the pandemic, the number of prostitutes doubled in Mexico. Those are people with families that previously worked at small businesses such as cafés, bars and markets.

Coronasutra as an Attempt to Introduce Corona-Safe Sex

Brigada Callejera, an activist group led by Elvira Madrid has came up with the idea of Coronasutra. It is a complete hygiene guide that includes safe positions for sex, minimizing the chance of getting infected by Covid-19. Besides HIV, the danger of becoming infected with the virus is also high.

It also raises attention about positions that are unsafe. For example, it is not safe to have sex in missionary position because people’s faces can get too close to each other. Unfortunately, most men prostitutes meet up with are not willing to accept these rules.

Women rather end up in situations where condoms are not used and the ntercourse is rather violent.

Hotels Raise Their Prices to Take Advantage of the Situation

Although not many hotels are open, the ones that keep their doors open charge higher prices than before. Hotel rooms are not an option for prostitutes because they are not only expensive but dirty as well. Hotel owners have literally doubled the prices while sex workers get paid almost nothing.

According to Elvira Madrid, women can’t afford to rent out hotel rooms at all. They can either provide their services on the streets or in cars. Women got forced into prostitution because of the current Covid-19 measures, yet prostitution is banned in a few parts of the country.

Now Elvira Madrid does her best to fight for the rights of these women and give them a new perspective during these hard times.

Women are More Exposed to Violence in Many Countries

According to Dr. Andrea Tivig, specialist in human trafficking and prostitution, a situation like the one in Mexico can occur in other countries as well. She is working for an organization called Terre des Femmes that fights for women’s human rights.

The likelihood of women ending up in desperate situations is higher during the pandemic in Germany and Vienna too. The thing is that the state doesn’t really care about prostitutes who have lost their jobs in general. Although there are local aid funds to rely on, they don’t count as much on the long run.

Brothels are closed both in Germany and Vienna, which is an expected step from the government towards reducing infection rates. However, this leaves thousands of women without any alternatives.

There is a huge power gap between brothel owners and sex workers and the government doesn’t take any responsibility for it. Due to desperation, many women end up working as illegal prostitutes.

Prostitutes Have No Other Choice but to Work Illegally

The so-called Sex Inn at the Frankfurt train station is currently empty according to Nadine Maletzki, its owner. This forced women to work on the streets that surround the area, waiting for their clients. There are lots of hotels in the Bahnhofsviertel that are full of prostitutes on a daily basis.

These illegal sex workers rely on pimps who keep an eye out for them while they are working. The problem is that organizations such as Terre des Femmes can’t develop a reliable hygiene concept. Brothels can’t open their doors until there are appropriate Coronavirus measures at place.

The Current Situation in German-Speaking Countries

There is currently a huge difference in earning possibilities for sex workers in many European countries. Fortunately, the situation is not as bad in Vienna, Graz and German speaking countries in general where sex workers can earn more.

Working in a high-class club in Vienna guarantees safety and a much higher pay for women looking for a job in the paysex scene. However, women can only work as escorts there. Until the government allows brothels to open, illegal prostitution will be on the rise in Austria and Germany as well.

Hotels are rather cheap in Vienna and Graz these days because of the lack of tourists and sex workers are taking advantage of it. There were raids going on in Vienna that you can read more about on Sex-Vienna by clicking on the links below:

We also talk about how illegal prostitutes and apartment owners in Vienna and Graz both benefit from the current situation. Meanwhile, working in illegality comes with plenty of health risks, as it is not possible for these women to get a green card. Read the whole article on the subject here on Sexclubwien: