Prostitution in Israel
Encyclopedia
Prostitution in Israel is legal, but organized prostitution in the form of brothels and pimping is prohibited.
According to the findings of a Parliamentary
Inquiry Committee appointed in 2005, 3000-5000 women are smuggled into Israel annually and sold into prostitution. Most of the prostitutes come from Ukraine
, Moldova
, Uzbekistan
, China
and Russia
, and many are smuggled through Egypt
.
In 2003, Israel passed a law that would allow the state to confiscate the profits of traffickers, but watchdog groups claim it is rarely enforced. In 2007, a report by the Knesset
's Committee on the Status of Women reported that in recent years the number of trafficked women had dropped to less than 1,000.
Prostitution in Israel has been dominated by Russians since the mass immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. A study published in 2005 found 1,000 Russian prostitutes working in Israel, mostly in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. From 1991 to 1994 the number of massage parlors run by Russian immigrants rose from 14 to 111.
In 2007, the United States State Department placed Israel as a "Tier 2" in its annual Trafficking in Persons reports, meaning that it does not fully comply with the standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.
In December 2009 a bill outlawing purchase of sexual services was introduced into the Israeli parliament.
Every month men in Israel visit brothels up to one million times.
The sex trade in Israel generates up to $2 billion in revenue a year.
According to the findings of a Parliamentary
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
Inquiry Committee appointed in 2005, 3000-5000 women are smuggled into Israel annually and sold into prostitution. Most of the prostitutes come from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and many are smuggled through Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
In 2003, Israel passed a law that would allow the state to confiscate the profits of traffickers, but watchdog groups claim it is rarely enforced. In 2007, a report by the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
's Committee on the Status of Women reported that in recent years the number of trafficked women had dropped to less than 1,000.
Prostitution in Israel has been dominated by Russians since the mass immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. A study published in 2005 found 1,000 Russian prostitutes working in Israel, mostly in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. From 1991 to 1994 the number of massage parlors run by Russian immigrants rose from 14 to 111.
In 2007, the United States State Department placed Israel as a "Tier 2" in its annual Trafficking in Persons reports, meaning that it does not fully comply with the standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.
In December 2009 a bill outlawing purchase of sexual services was introduced into the Israeli parliament.
Every month men in Israel visit brothels up to one million times.
The sex trade in Israel generates up to $2 billion in revenue a year.