It took less than a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union for Odessa to become a hub for the international sex trade. The conditions were just about perfect. The bustling port on the Black Sea was an easy gateway from the poorest parts of Ukraine, Romania and Moldova to Western Europe and the Arab states.
"The real action is in the Emirates, Dubai or Antalya in Turkey," says Masha, a stick-thin 19-year-old who teeters a little on her heels. "Don't be confused," she says. "Nobody takes us by the hair and drags us onto the ships." She gestures toward the mouth of the port. "Those are like the gates to freedom for a lot of us," she says.
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