Prostitution in Ukraine

Prostitution in Ukraine is illegal but widespread and largely ignored by the government.^[1] In recent times, Ukraine has become a popular prostitution and sex trafficking destination. Ukraine is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked transnationally for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation. Ukraine's dissolution from the Soviet Union, saw the nation attempt to transition from a planned economy to a market economy. The transition process inflicted economic hardship in the nation, with nearly 80% of the population forced into poverty in the decade that followed its independence.^[2] Unemployment in Ukraine was growing at an increasing rate, with female unemployment rising to 64% by 1997.^[3] The economic decline in Ukraine made the nation vulnerable and forced many to depend on prostitution and trafficking as a source of income.^[4] Sex tourism rose as the country attracted greater numbers of foreign tourists.^[1][5]