We use cookies to improve our service for you. You can find more information in our data protection declaration. Germany has passed a new prostitution law to fight human trafficking and exploitation. It calls for more control, more regulations and more penalties - and it is not popular in the prostitution industry.
It is going to become more difficult to make money as a sex worker in Germany. Sex workers often face humiliating working conditions and no one examines their workplace. According to the new law, sex workers must register with local authorities and seek a medical consultation from a public health service. In the future, brothels or businesses that offer sex services will be required to apply for a permit that will only be granted if health, hygiene and room requirements are met.
The new law prohibits flat-rate brothels and gang-bang parties, in which a sex worker must service several men concurrently. Also, sex without a condom is prohibited. The fear of registration is rampant in the industry. Many women fear this change. They argue, "I cannot register and then get around with this ID.
I'm going to have to quit. Silvia Vorhauer considers compulsory registration to be an unnecessary measure. Registration at the local government office leads to the stigmatization and criminalization of women," she says. The counselor, however, does not think that everything about the law is bad. Compulsory use of condoms is advocated by all sex workers in Dortmund.
While some consider compulsory registration to be problematic in terms of privacy protection laws and thus plan to launch an appeal, Sowoldi and Sisters do not consider the protective measures to be sufficient.
