An opinion survey on Bogota prostitution, released Thursday by the Mayor’s Office, provides a fascinating window into the lives of those who work in and those who patronize the city’s brothels.
In terms of safe sex, 93% of prostitutes surveyed claimed to use a condom when having intercourse, while 75% use one during the act of oral sex.
The poll noted that 90% of customers in brothels consume alcohol while they are there. 76% of the prostitutes said that their clients buy them drinks, and 41% of the sex workers say they take drugs.
When it comes to prices, 79% of the women said that they charge less than COP50,000 for their services. 14% charge between COP50,000 and COP2 million, while less than 1% manage to charge more than COP2 million for their work.
Women who were still at university tended to make the most income, and pay diminishes with age, with those under 30 years old making the most money of any age group.
The poll reveals that 23% of brothel customers seek the same woman every time they go, and 21% admitted to being in love with a prostitute.
For their part, 50% of the prostitutes surveyed had fallen in love with a client and started a real romantic relationship with them.
The poll also found that the barrio of Chapinero tended to have higher prices and wealthier clients, while the the barrio of Santa Fe tended to have lower prices and a more working-class clientele.
The most common occupational groups amongst those who use prostitutes are members of the armed forces, police, soldiers, and other members of the security sector. Coming in second place were those who work in land transport, such as the drivers of buses, taxis, and trucks.