Eastern-European Sex Workers in Greek-Cypriot Cabarets

Abstract

Female sexuality has been exploited in sexualized work environments, such as cabarets, strip clubs, and brothels, for centuries. A critical site for exploring the intercrossing of sexual and economic differentials is the cabaret where the ultimate patriarchal gender dynamics are acted out; where males and females utilize their financial assets and sexual appeal, respectively, to benefit and exploit each other. This exploratory investigation provides an understanding of the macro environmental contexts and micro intrapersonal and interpersonal factors that have pushed and pulled a considerable number of young Eastern-European women to sex work. In particular, it attempts to shed some light into the various processual dynamics surrounding the personal and work lives of Eastern-European sex workers in Greek-Cypriot cabarets. The methodological mode involves both informal interview techniques and a reflexive case study approach. Informal interview and reflexive case study techniques constitute well-established variants of unobtrusive field research and involve the researcher actually joining in the events under study and examining the various phenomena from the inside.