Chinese prostitution in Paris has developed since the late s. Prostitutes of Chinese origin work mainly on the streets of some neighbourhoods, where they are nicknamed les marcheuses the walkers , [ 1 ] but also in massage parlours [ 2 ] or through the internet.
The Chinese diaspora in France came mainly from three different waves of migration. At the beginning of the last century the first Chinese migration began, the migrants coming mainly from the vicinity of the city of Wenzhou. In the s, political refugees from French Indochina , escaping the violence in Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia were welcomed into the country.
They originated mainly from North China Dongbei. These migrants must quickly repay loans, usually to family members, to reach France air tickets, visa, smuggler The choice of prostitution is made after working in low-paying jobs, or a period of unemployment.
Some turn to prostitution to pay for their children's education in China or to support their Chinese family. Others work in massage parlours, which are scattered throughout the whole of Paris. In , according to the Police Prefecture , there were massage parlours in Paris, and at least of them were places of prostitution, where "erotic massages" were offered.
With the law on the criminalisation of customers in , Chinese prostitutes have turned to working via internet or by telephone. They chose this activity because of economic obligations. It gives practical information useful to prostitutes: signs of sexually transmitted infections , explanations of the methods of prevention, the follow-up techniques after the break of a condom and recommends regular screenings. In , a specific association, les Roses d'Acier , was set up to defend the rights of Chinese prostitutes.
