Criminalisation and prostitution of migrant women in Turkey: A case study of Ugandan women

Based on an empirical research, this paper explores Ugandan migrant women's experiences as cheap undocumented migrant workers in gendered segments of the labour market and in prostitution in Turkey. They often face labour exploitation, discrimination as well as sexual harassment. When these difficulties are combined with the pressure from home and paying off debt, some Ugandan women are even pushed to sell sex. This paper argues that migrant women's involvement mechanisms in prostitution involves varying degrees of lack of choice as a result of gendered migration processes, criminalisation, coercion, exploitation and agency.