In photos: Istanbul’s African 5ex workers

Hürriyet photojournalist Murat Şaka spent a year in the notorious streets of Istanbul’s Aksaray and Kumkapı neighborhoods to document the life of African sex workers. Here he tells their stories:

This Turkish expression refers to a dog-eat-dog world. In this regard, Aksaray and Kumkapı are the table of wolves in Istanbul. Kumkapı is a neighborhood that is home to many African immigrants who are trying to survive in a foreign country after they fled their homeland.

Boasting a constant cacophony from peddlers and police sirens, Aksaray is also home to neon-lit bars that double as venues for prostitution. The neighborhood is within walking distance to Kumkapı, meaning African sex workers are frequently seen in the bars.

During the project, my camera was always with me. But sometimes I witnessed such moments that I was forced to observe instead of capturing an incredible photo.

And we cannot publish a particularly extraordinary series of photographs because its subject did not issue permission, unlike others. But perhaps, seeing even one house in Aksaray might be enough to understand the burden of African sex workers in Istanbul.

After all, this is where the dreams of women from Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria have turned into a nightmare. All the other places like this house look and feel similar to many personal tragedies that are frequently experienced, but rarely told

One sex worker has read fashion magazines, finished the day, picked her night shoes and is ready to go out. The lingua franca of the street is Swahili. Their biggest fear is the possibility that the mafia might meddle with their business. Some sex workers recite Muslim prayers and others Christian ones to stay safe. They also use old, cheap phones as a precaution against being robbed