Receiving Gifts for Sex in Moscow, Kyiv, and Minsk: A Compensated Dating Survey

Sexuality and Culture. 2015. Vol. 19. No. 2. P. 321–348.

Swader C. S., Vorobeva I. D.

“Compensated dating” (CD) indicates the exchange of sexual intimacy for material compensation. This article investigates CD as receivinggifts for sex, such as luxuries, rent, travel, or monetary gifts. It proceeds by describing who engages in the practice and why, while comparing Russia with its cultural and linguistic neighbors, Ukraine and Belarus. A survey, which was answered by a representative sample (n = 678) from the cities of Moscow, Kyiv, and Minsk, indicates that CD reception rates are comparable to elsewhere in the world. Moreover, while these cities have similar CD rates, there are important inter-city differences in the characteristics that make people more or less likely to take part. CD reception is linked to status in Kyiv and Moscow but is more closely tied to economic survival in Minsk. Moreover, while Kyiv and Moscow CD reception is affected by the importance of instrumental economic logic within relationships, there is no indication that other relationship values, such as love, have suffered as a result. This paper contributes to the literature on CD by describing the practice for the first time using a wide sample in Eastern Europe, noting its prevalence in diverse cities, and characterizing those who are most likely to receive gifts for sex. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Keywords: Eastern Europe, compensated dating, rationalization, post-socialism, commodification