Prostitution in Poland - Demographics

Demographics

The total number of prostitutes in Poland is not known, estimates vary widely and should be interpreted with caution. For instance, the US 2009 Human Rights Report states that: "according to police there were an estimated 3,300 prostitutes in the country; however, NGOs estimated that there were 18,000 to 20,000 women involved in all aspects of the sex industry." The International Encyclopedia of Sexuality writes that "the police estimate that there are about 12,000 prostitutes working in Poland."

There are women from countries such as Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus, who sell sex in Poland, but their numbers are uncertain. CATW state that "at least 3,500 Bulgarian prostituted women are in Poland and more than 1,000 from Ukraine and Belarus", citing the Polish Deputy Interior Minister.

A 2009 TAMPEP report states that 66% of prostitutes in Poland are nationals and the rest are migrants, of which 91% come from Eastern Europe, mainly Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. The same study also states that Poland distinguishes itself among the countries studied in that report by its high prevalence of male prostitution, with 15% of prostitutes being said to be male, more than double the European average of 7% (the study states that "Austria, Finland, Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania report almost exclusively female sex workers, while Poland reports that 15% of its sex worker population is male").