Prostitution in Turkey is legal and regulated. The secularization of Turkish society allowed prostitution to achieve legal status during the early 20th century. Known as "general houses" in the country, brothels must receive permits from the government in order to operate. In turn, the regulatory agencies issue identity cards to sex workers that give them rights to some free medical care and other social services.
The passport law [3] forbids entry to Turkey for the purposes of prostitution. Brothels Genelev are legal and licensed under health laws dealing with Sexually transmitted infections. It is mandatory for registered prostitutes to undergo regular health checks for sexually transmitted diseases, and the use of condoms is mandatory. However, men cannot register under this regulation. Most prostitutes, however, are unregistered, as local governments have made it policy not to issue new registrations.
Other regulations affecting prostitutes in Turkey include the Misdemeanor Law, Article Illegal prostitution is classified as operating a brothel without being licensed, being a prostitute without having health checkups, being a prostitute without having a license, or being a prostitute without being registered. Operating of illegal prostitution is punishable with a maximum of 1 year's imprisonment.
Strip clubs are also present in current Turkey. Strip clubs must also be licensed and strippers must be registered and have regular health checkups. All persons entering strip clubs must be at least 18 years old.
In , activists and sex workers in Turkey announced they were working on a project to establish Turkey's first sex workers' union. Turkey is a top destination for victims of human trafficking in relation to the sex trade, according to a report produced by the UNDOC. Notably, Russian organized crime syndicates engage in trafficking of women for prostitution, and Russian and Ukrainian women have turned up in many European countries, including Turkey.
