Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema, appointed in July 2018, has told the city outlet Het Parool that the city’s tradition of open prostitution needs legal changes and voiced her intention to address the problems with a package of reforms, drawn up no later than summer 2019. According to her, this city tradition has been “increasingly linked to the humiliation of women by large groups of tourists”. The official criticised the situation whereby prostitutes had been turned into a stop for guided tours in Amsterdam with onlookers swarming the red light district, which she defined as “humiliating” and “unacceptable”. While the unlicensed prostitution that goes hand in hand with human trafficking remains a problem, it is believed that the safety and working conditions of prostitutes in the red light district have been worsened because … [Read more...] about Amsterdam Mayor Says How Tourists Treat Prostitutes Is ‘Humiliating’
Legal prostitution in amsterdam
Amsterdam’s mayor: ‘prostitutes should not be a tourist attraction’
Mayor Femke Halsema. Photo: Gemeente Amsterdam Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema has called for changes to the city’s red light district, arguing that turning prostitution into a tourist attraction is ‘humiliating’ and ‘unacceptable’. The mayor, who took office last June, told Het Parool she wanted to consider all options for reforming the area, including the status quo, but gave a clear signal that the current situation was untenable. ‘The circumstances in which women have to do their work have worsened. So I can understand why a lot of Amsterdammers think: this is not the way we want prostitution to be or how it was supposed to be,’ she said. There has been growing concern that the number of tourists flocking to the red light district has made it more difficult for prostitutes to work in the area and compromised their safety. Unlicensed prostitution remains a problem in the city and has been linked to human trafficking. Halsema said … [Read more...] about Amsterdam’s mayor: ‘prostitutes should not be a tourist attraction’
Attention, Johns! New Israeli Law Prohibits Paying for Sex, Spares Prostitutes
The Israeli parliament has unanimously passed a bill banning punters from paying for sex, though lawmakers opted not to penalise the prostitutes themselves. The bill outlaws the purchase of sex, stipulating a 2,000 shekel ($534) fine as punishment; the financial penalty is doubled for the second offence. Repeat violations could carry fines of up to 75,300 shekels ($20,000) and criminal prosecution. READ MORE: Swapping Erections for Elections: Prostitutes Dip Toes in Caribbean Politics Though sex trafficking, brothels, and pimping are already considered criminal activity in Israel, prostitution itself remains legal; it's estimated that at least 14,000 sex workers operate in the country, including 3,000 minors. READ MORE: Touch But Don't Look: Tourists in Amsterdam Banned From Ogling Prostitutes © Photo : PixabayFBI Recalls Officers in Asia Amid Probe Into Parties With Prostitutes - ReportsThe new law makes … [Read more...] about Attention, Johns! New Israeli Law Prohibits Paying for Sex, Spares Prostitutes
Amsterdam prostitutes could move outside red light area
Amsterdam could let prostitutes operate outside the city's famed red-light district in a bid to clean up the area and improve conditions for the women who work there, officials said Friday. Sex workers in their glass-fronted booths in the Dutch capital complain that they are subject to gawping from camera-toting tourists, whose presence also deters potential clients. City authorities are therefore debating a plan to give sex workers licences to work elsewhere in Amsterdam, for example in safe, hotel-style purpose-built brothels. The plan is being pushed by Amsterdam's first female mayor, Femke Halsema, and has been formally proposed by three of the parties in the city's governing coalition - Groenlinks, the progressive D66 and the Socialist Party. "The idea is that sex workers will have more choices than either working from home or in the touristy area where they have much less anonymity," said D66 councillor Alexander Hammelburg. "Secondly, it will solve the problem of a shortage of … [Read more...] about Amsterdam prostitutes could move outside red light area
Amsterdam Plans to Relocate Red Light District Due to Tourist Boom
The three coalition parties – GroenLinks, D66 and the Socialists, have suggested issuing sex worker permits for locations outside De Wallen, the best-known Red Light district in Amsterdam, so that the women who work in window brothels can move to a safer area, Het Parool, a Dutch-language outlet, reported. READ MORE: World's First ‘Consent-Focused' Robot Brothel in The Works For West Hollywood Due to the surge in tourism, prostitutes have experienced a lot of inconvenience, including gawping, abuse and relentless photo-taking, the councilors claimed. Meanwhile, D66 councilor Alexander Hammelburg stated that such a measure would also allow prostitutes to work in anonymity, “away from photo-taking tourists.” READ MORE: No Permits, No Sexbots: Houston Officials Halt Opening of First US Robo-Brothel The red-lit glass doors have been a big crowd puller, and the councilors also hope that … [Read more...] about Amsterdam Plans to Relocate Red Light District Due to Tourist Boom