Sex work in Tallinn, Estonia: the sociospatial penetration of sex work into society

Sex work is a dangerous profession and sex workers are exposed to serious risks. ¹ Beyond sex workers' own risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD)/HIV acquisition, in the absence of condom use sex workers may play an important part in the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI) into the general population. ² Differences in the social context ³ and social organisation of sex work ^{4, 5} may have important implications for sex workers' risk of acquiring and transmitting STI and for the delivery of clinical and social services. Understanding the social context and social organisation of sex work is also necessary for planning and implementing effective STD/HIV interventions targeting sex workers. ¹ Societal collapse, poverty, war, and globalisation have all been associated with changes in the volume and societal patterning of sex work. ^{3, 6} It is important to describe and understand the underlying patterns and dynamics that govern sex work in societies, its heterogeneity across populations, and its evolution through time. ^{4- 7} In several previous studies, we described organisational patterns of sex work in several Russian locales, noting marked diversity in the organisation and marketing of sexual services in different Russian cities. ^{4, 5, 7} This report describes the results of a rapid assessment in Tallinn, Estonia, which attained independence from the former USSR in 1991.

Tallinn, Estonia, is a particularly interesting city for the study of sex work because of its historical and demographic characteristics. Following 50 years of occupation by the Soviet Union, Estonia gained its independence in 1991. The transition from Soviet occupation to autonomy brought about major societal upheaval economically and socially. Many men and women lost their jobs, positions, and security as Soviet factories and military installations closed, creating substantial unemployment, especially in the north eastern region of Ida-Virumaa abutting Russia but also in Tallinn. Many of the unemployed were ethnic Russians who were originally imported from the Soviet Union to control the military, industry, and governance in Estonia. As ethnic Estonians emerged into social, economic, and political prominence with independence, ethnic Russians found themselves without the status and privilege they formerly enjoyed. As in most transitional societies, sex work has expanded into an important mode of coping with the economic inequality and societal unrest of the...