BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Thousands of Iraqi female refugees in Syria work as prostitutes due to their deteriorating economic situation, media reports said on Tuesday.

    A UN repor t was quoted by media reports as saying, given their deteriorating economic situation in Syria, many Iraqi girls and women have no way out but turn to prostitution. They do the job in secret or even with "the knowledge or involvement of family members." In many cases, the reports added, ¡°the head of the family brings clients to the house," making the matter even worse.

    UN aid workers said as violence in Iraq has increased, the refugee population in the neighboring countries has been on the hike rapidly and has come to include more female-headed households and unaccompanied women, which in turn worsens the problem of prostitution.

    Most of the semi-organized prostitution take place on the outskirts of the capital Damascus or in nightclubs known as casinos ¡ª a local euphemism, because no gambling occurs, the reports quoted investigation reports as saying. 

    According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, about 1.2 million Iraqi refugees now live in Syria; the Syrian government puts the figure even higher.

   (Agencies)