Prostitution - The number of registered prostitutes has doubled
The number of prostitutes registered in Thuringia has doubled within a year. According to the Statistical Office, there were 169 people registered under the Prostitution Protection Law at the end of 2023, compared to 84 the previous year. The numbers are below pre-Corona levels: In 2019, there were still 384 registered prostitutes.
More than a third (70 out of 169) of the prostitutes were registered in the Landkreis Gotha in the past year. Around a quarter were registered in Erfurt, and approximately every tenth in Jena. Nearly a third of the prostitutes held Romanian citizenship. Following were people with German, Bulgarian, and Hungarian citizenship.
Regulations for Prostitution
Prostitution has been considered a normal business in Germany for several years. According to the Prostitution Protection Law, all businesses offering sex for money must meet certain requirements.
This includes separate sanitary facilities for prostitutes and clients, separate living quarters, and a notification system in the work areas. Brothels require a business license, and prostitutes are required to register their activities and attend regular health consultations.
Despite the decrease in registered prostitutes nationwide due to the impact of the Coronavirus, the Regional Office in Thuringia saw a significant increase, with Erfurt being one of the areas with a high number of registered sex workers. The Prostitution Protection Law, enforced by regional offices across Germany, requires those engaged in prostitution to undergo regular health consultations to mitigate health risks. Unfortunately, the number of Romanian citizens involved in sex work in Thuringia has also seen an uptick.
