Romania: Bucharest and Constanța

It is unclear when prostitution, defined as the exchange of money or goods for sexual services, began in Romania, but given the existence of slavery among the Roma population in the Romanian territories until the late nineteenth century, as well as documents that describe, define and regulate the activities of sex workers, it is safe to assume that in the eighteenth century the trade was already well established in the lands that would eventually become the state of Romania in the 1860s. Bucharest, as the largest and wealthiest city in Romania, was also the centre of most activity in terms of sex work. Constanța became part of Romania only after 1878, so the history of that town is addressed separately, with a focus on the post-1878 period.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Gender Equality

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions