In Germany, legal brothels have shut too, leaving some employed there fearing homelessness. By Erik Kirschbaum. Sex workers who had been fully employed suddenly feared homelessness. Many sought ways to keep working, at home or on the streets. The coronavirus-induced changes to prostitution in Germany, where sex work has long been legal, in recent days has left many in the business with as many troubles and fears as anyone, scrambling to find a way to adjust.
This could be the first thing people cut back on. The nation saw Chancellor Angela Merkel solemnly announce last week that all brothels had to close to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the same order issued for bars, clubs, betting parlors, opera houses, museums and theaters. The government in had improved the rights of sex workers by taking laws legalizing prostitution even further, allowing workers to advertise and enter formal contracts.
Health insurance and pensions were also obtainable. That helped Germany become an even more popular destination for sex workers and customers from around the world. In addition to Germany, prostitution is legal in dozens of countries, including the U. There are an estimated 40 to 42 million prostitutes worldwide , according to a Business Insider report that cited a survey by the Fondation Scelles of France.
Prostitution is openly embraced by the government and society in Germany, where local municipalities collect hundreds of millions of euros in taxes every year. The whole world is active in Germany. While some brothels forced to close sent their sex workers packing, others such as the Leierkasten in Munich decided to allow those unable to travel home because of the many border closures in the European Union to reside in the brothel.
A few weeks ago there were clients each weekend coming to the famous year-old brothel as patrons of the women working its 45 rooms. Many staff members were doing renovations, repairs, painting and cleaning the building during the unplanned interruption, he said.
