In Crisis More Russian Men Want Talk, Not Sex

A popular joke among Russian oligarchs has one telling another, "I have bad news, I have lost $5 billion." The second replies, 'Well I have lost $7 billion. But the good news is that whores are back to costing $100.'

It may seem a typically Russian view of the economic crisis but the women say the crisis has added a new kind of customer -- one who wants emotional support, not sex.

Adriana, a prostitute in her 30s, tells 'ABC News' that her role has evolved to being a shoulder for her customers to cry on: "They complain and many now don't come for sex."

She recalled a recent experience with a client whose salary had fallen by a third to 40,000 roubles ($1,200) per month: "He stopped after three seconds and suggested we had drinks and talk. Now they often talk about work. They are afraid of losing their jobs."

British sex expert, columnist and writer Tracey Cox, says sex drive and economic prosperity are strongly linked: "Lots of men define themselves by their jobs and how much money they make... Our libido is definitely affected by times of financial difficulty. Stress is a huge contributor to its loss."

"A prostitute is someone who is basically paid not to judge them for whatever they ask for... she therefore becomes the logical person to talk to."

Moscow police decline to estimate how many prostitutes work in the city but media reports and rights groups say it houses more than 100,000 -- roughly 10 times higher than estimates for London and New York.

Prostitutes say police and law enforcement agencies often turn a blind eye to prostitution or ask girls for either a bribe or free services.

The Russian jobless rate currently sits at an eight-year high and with salaries shrinking across the board, prostitutes are also cutting prices, with many now giving a 30 percent discount on pre-crisis prices.

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