The number of registered prostitutes in Germany increases by eight percent
The number of officially registered prostitutes in Germany increased in the year 2023. At the end of the previous year, approximately 30,600 prostitutes were registered with the authorities, which is 8.3 percent more than the previous year, as the Federal Statistical Office reported. In 2022, there were 28,300 registered. However, the number remained significantly lower than in 2019 before the Coronapandemic, when 40,400 prostitutes were registered.
Of the approximately 30,600 registered prostitutes, most were between the ages of 21 and 44 - namely 23,100 or 75 percent. 6,500 or 21 percent were 45 years or older. Only 1,100 or four percent were between 18 and 20 years old.
5,400 prostitutes therefore had German citizenship, representing an 18 percent share. However, the majority held Romanian passports - 11,100 or 36 percent. The Bulgarian and Spanish nationalities followed, each with 11 or 7 percent.
The number of valid or temporary permits for prostitution businesses amounted to 2,300 permits. It remained unchanged from the previous year. Of the registered prostitution businesses, 93 percent were so-called prostitution stations, such as brothels. Five percent of the permits were for prostitution intermediaries, and two percent were for prostitution vehicles and events combined.
The increase in registered prostitutes in 2023 was explicitly stated to be 8.3 percent, bringing the total to 30,600. Despite this rise, the number of registered prostitutes in Germany is still significantly lower than the pre-Corona level of 40,400 from 2019, representing a decrease of approximately 29 percent. It's worth noting that, despite the overall decrease, the proportion of prostitutes with German citizenship increased slightly, reaching 18 percent in 2023.
