Prostitution in Europe
Encyclopedia
The legality of prostitution
in Europe varies by country. Some countries outlaw the act of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for money, while others allow prostitution itself, but prohibit most forms of procuring
(such as operating brothels, facilitating the prostitution of another, deriving financial gain from the prostitution of another, soliciting/loitering, etc.).
In eight European countries (Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Hungary and Latvia) prostitution is legal and regulated.
The degree of enforcement of the anti-prostitution laws vary by country, by region and by city. In many places there is a big discrepancy between the laws which exist on the books and what happens in practice.
Depending on the country, various prostitution related activities may be prohibited (where a specific law forbids such activity), decriminalized (where there is no specific law either forbidding or allowing and regulating the activity), or regulated (where a specific law explicitly allows and regulates the activity if certain conditions are met). Activities which are subject to the prostitution laws include: selling and buying sexual services, soliciting in public places, running brothels, deriving financial gain from the prostitution of another, offering premises to be used for prostitution etc. Often the prostitution laws are not clear cut and are subject to interpretation, leading to many legal grey area
s. While the policy regarding adult prostituting differs by country, child prostitution is illegal throughout Europe. Similarly, human trafficking, forced prostitution and other abusive activities are also prohibited.
The legal and social treatment of prostitution differs widely by country.
Very liberal prostitution policies exist in the Netherlands and Germany, and these countries are major destinations for international sex tourism
. Amsterdam
's prostitution windows are (in)famous all over the world.
In Sweden, Norway, and Iceland it is illegal to pay for sex, but not to be a prostitute (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute).
In Eastern Europe, the anti-prostitution laws target the prostitutes, because in these countries prostitution is condemned from a moral\conservative viewpoint.
Other countries which have restrictive prostitution policies and officially affirm an anti-prostitution stance are the UK, Ireland and France.
Among countries where prostitution is not officially and legally regulated and recognized as a job, laissez-faire and tolerant attitudes exist in Spain, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
is illegal, but the country is a major exporter of human trafficking. Nearly all of the prostitutes in Albania come from Moldova
, Ukraine
, Russia
, Bulgaria
and are bought to Albania as it is seen as a gateway to Europe, (Italy
)
are prohibited. Operating a brothel and engaging in other forms of pimping are punishable by one to 10 years imprisonment.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union poverty has increased and many women and children are resorting to the sex trade.
This is an example of regulated prostitution. Prostitution is legal but restricted by several regulations. Most prostitutes are migrants, mainly from the former Eastern Bloc
countries.
is illegal. Many Russian women have migrated from Azerbaijan to work in the sex trade in other countries. Some of these may have been trafficked though the exact figures are uncertain
. However prostitution is present in the country, particularly in regions outside the main cities and in hotels.
Prostitution itself is legal in Belgium, but the law prohibits operating brothels and other forms of pimping or assisting immigration for the purpose of prostitution. However, in practice enforcement can be lax and "unofficial" brothels are tolerated (for example in Antwerp).
Human trafficking or exploiting individuals for financial gain is punishable for a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. A recent report by RiskMonitor foundation found that 70% of the prostitutes who work in Belgium are from Bulgaria
. Belgium is listed by the UNODC
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
. Many sex workers organisations feel that the present grey area in which prostitution operates leaves sex workers vulnerable to exploitation.
It originally gained a reputation as a transit for human trafficking, and now it has gained a reputation for being a destination for the sex trade to take place.
The Bulgarian government is stepping up its efforts to eradicate human trafficking. The sex trade is a major money maker for Bulgarian criminals.
The Bulgarian government did consider fully legalizing and regulating prostitution.
is illegal, but like in many other Southeast European countries, the problem of human trafficking for the purposes of sex is big in Croatia. However, according the U.S. State Department, Croatia is a tier 1 country, actively working to prevent the sex trade.
Cyprus has been criticized by the US State Department for failing to control the follow of illegal immigrants and legal to be involved in forced prostitution. Cyprus has gained a reputation for being a major transit point for people smugglers to transport women for the purposes of prostitution. International observers have criticized the government for its lack of action to prevent forced prostitution. The law of Cyprus forbids forced (but not voluntary) prostitution. However, its believed that many immigrants are hired as bar maids and coerced into prostitution by this method.
prostitution is not illegal, but brothels or other forms of procuring are prohibited. The enforcement of these laws is lax and prostitution and other activities which surround it are very common in the country.
Ever since the Czechoslovakia
n Velvet Revolution
(1989) led to the creation of the two independent states Czech Republic
and Slovakia
, prostitution has been flourishing, and has contributed its share to the region's booming tourist economy. It is widespread in Prague
and areas near the Republic's western borders with Germany and Austria. In 2002, the Czech Statistical Bureau estimated the trade to be worth six billion crowns ($217 million) a year.
or a prostitution ring and other forms of pimping) is illegal. In June 2006, parliament voted by 158 to 15 with four abstentions to approve a bill which outlaws the buying of sexual services from prostitutes if it is linked to human trafficking
.
According to a recent TAMPEP
study, 69% of prostitutes are foreigners.
Prostitution is generally limited to private apartments and nightclubs in larger cities, there is little "visible" prostitution.
, prostitution is illegal, but widespread, particularly in Tbilisi
. Many NGO's attribute this to the harsh economic conditions according to the US State Department. Many women from Georgia are of Human Trafficking
operations to or from countries. Women who are forced to be prostitutes are in Georgia are often from Asia and neighboring European countries.
In 2006 the country incorporated into its domestic law the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
. The punishment for human trafficking in Georgia is 15 years. There is also a special law to protect families of Georgian women who fear reprisals from gang masters of women who refuse to forced into prostitution abroad.
tization of prostitutes persists, forcing most prostitutes to lead a double life
. Authorities consider the common exploitation of women from Eastern Europe to be the main problem associated with the occupation. Germany is listed by the UNODC
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
.
refugees and immigrants. According to NGO estimates, there are 13,000-14,000 trafficking victims in the country at any given time. Major countries of origin for trafficking victims include Nigeria, Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Albania, Moldova, Romania, and Belarus.
(the client commits a crime but not the prostitute).
Opinion polls have shown that up to 70% of the population supports banning the purchase of sexual services.
or other forms of pimping). However, female escort prostitution is widespread. Swedish type criminalizing legislation of the sex customer is being considered.
In Italy, prostitution itself is not illegal, but the law prohibits organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings or similar commercial enterprises and other forms of pimping).
In 2008 the Government approved a law proposal by one of its ministry to forbid street prostitution but the proposal has never been converted into law so street prostitution is still legal in Italy and is very common.
Italy is listed by the UNDOC
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
.
prostitution itself is not illegal, but acts facilitating prostitution, such as operating a brothel
or prostitution ring, are illegal. Forced prostitution and prostitution connected to organized crime are prohibited.
Prostitution is a serious problem. NGOs reported that criminal prostitution rings often included local law enforcement officials.
. Prostitutes must register, must undergo monthly health checks and must carry a health card; if they fail to do so they can be penalized. Latvia
is a popular destination for sex tourism
. Although prostitution is regulated in Latvia, brothels and other forms of procuring are illegal. According to the law "Any activity of the third person which promotes prostitution is prohibited" and "Persons are prohibited to join in groups in order to offer and provide sexual services..." Latvia is a destination country for women trafficked from Belgium and Portugal and a source country for women trafficked to Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, Greece, Ireland, and Japan; Latvian teenage girls are also trafficked within the country. The director of The Resource Center for Women said that a lack of political will to meaningfully address issues of human trafficking, coupled with the country's debilitating economic problems and soaring unemployment levels, contribute to the proliferation of human trafficking in the country.
is illegal but is tolerated by the police as long as it is not street prostitution
.
is illegal, but it is common. The penalty for prostitution is a fine of $120 to $200 (300 to 500 litas) for a single offense and up to $400 (1,000 litas) for repeat offenses.
, but activities associated with organized prostitution, such as profiting from (operating brothels and prostitution rings) or aiding prostitution are illegal. Human trafficking incures severe penalties.
In March 2008, police and the Ministry for Social Policy signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize a screening process for all arrested persons engaged in prostitution to determine whether they were victims of trafficking or other abuses. The law provides punishments of up to 6 years for involving minors in prostitution.
is illegal, but because it is Europe's poorest country it is a major exporter of human trafficking for the purpose of the sex trade.
Human traffickers prey most on the women from the poor villages.
Women and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation to Turkey, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Russia, Cyprus, Greece, Albania, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, France, Italy, and Portugal. The authorities are trying to lead awareness among the population about the extent of this problem. During the last years, the authorities have launched numerous information campaigns, including one which consisted of billboards in the streets of the capital, Chişinău
, depicting a girl gripped in a huge clenched fist, being exchanged for dollars, which read: "You are not for sale".
Netherlands is listed by the UNODC
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
. Out of all Amsterdam
's prostitutes, more than 75% are from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, according to a former prostitute who produced a report about the sex trade in Amsterdam.
is illegal, but flourishes in the Balkans. The country is a major transit point for prostitution to the west.
The Macedonian government is trying to clamp down on prostitution. The trafficking of women for sex is worth billions in Macedonia and is considered to be run primarily by Albanian gangsters.
. The government had considered legalizing and regulating it (in 2007). The Association for the Promotion of Women in Romania opposes legalized prostitution, as they view prostitution as "another form of
violence against women and girls". Also, the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR) often protests against prostitution.
Romania is among the 11 countries listed by the United Nations as the biggest sources of human trafficking, based on reported numbers of victims. Every year thousands of women and girls, some as young as 13, are kidnapped or lured by promises of well-paid jobs or marriage and sold to gangs who lock them up in night clubs and brothels or force them to work on the streets. Homeless children in Romania have increasingly been trafficked under false pretenses and forced into prostitution in Berlin and Hamburg, Germany and Amsterdam, Netherlands.
; however, organizing prostitution or engaging somebody into prostitution is punishable by a prison term.
is illegal and can incur a prison sentence of between 5 and 10 years. Prostitution is a major problem in Kosovo
with many albanian gangsters buying prostitues from Moldova
, Romania
, Ukraine
and other and then using the huge instability there to their advantage by transitinng the prostitues to other places in europe. The police are unwilling to consider legalising it despite demands from sex workers.
.
The rationale underpinning the law was the view that prostitution was a form of violence against women
so the crime consists in the customer paying for sex, not in the prostitute selling sexual services. This rationale sees the seller of sex as the weaker and exploited partner in the exchange.
s, typically with a reception and leading to several studio apartment
s, are available. Street prostitution is illegal, except in specially designated areas in the major cities. Many prostitutes operate using newspaper advertisements, mobile phone
s and secondary rented apartments. It is legal to advertise for "massages" in Swiss
tabloid newspapers. Swiss prostitutes pay VAT
(value added tax) on their services and some accept credit card
s. The majority of prostitutes are foreigners from Latin America, Eastern Europe
or the Far East
. In recent years the number of prostitutes has increased. The prostitution business often becomes violent, it can involve attacks, turf wars, gunfights and arson attacks on rivals' prostitution establishments.
The Police are installing sex boxes to protect prostitutes.
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
.
, but widespread and largely ignored by the government. Sex tourism rose as the country attracted greater numbers of foreign tourists. Laws criminalizing organized prostitution and penalties for human trafficking have had little effect because many convicted traffickers often do not end up serving prison time.
, pimping and pandering
, are outlawed.
The Policing and Crime Act 2009
makes it illegal to pay for sex with a prostitute who has been "subjected to force" and this is a strict liability offense (clients can be prosecuted even if they didn’t know the prostitute was forced).
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
in Europe varies by country. Some countries outlaw the act of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for money, while others allow prostitution itself, but prohibit most forms of procuring
Procuring
Procuring may refer to:* Procurement, a business process to acquire goods or services* Procuring , the act of aiding a prostitute in the arrangement of a sex act with a customer...
(such as operating brothels, facilitating the prostitution of another, deriving financial gain from the prostitution of another, soliciting/loitering, etc.).
In eight European countries (Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Hungary and Latvia) prostitution is legal and regulated.
The degree of enforcement of the anti-prostitution laws vary by country, by region and by city. In many places there is a big discrepancy between the laws which exist on the books and what happens in practice.
Depending on the country, various prostitution related activities may be prohibited (where a specific law forbids such activity), decriminalized (where there is no specific law either forbidding or allowing and regulating the activity), or regulated (where a specific law explicitly allows and regulates the activity if certain conditions are met). Activities which are subject to the prostitution laws include: selling and buying sexual services, soliciting in public places, running brothels, deriving financial gain from the prostitution of another, offering premises to be used for prostitution etc. Often the prostitution laws are not clear cut and are subject to interpretation, leading to many legal grey area
Grey area
Grey area or gray area is a concept or topic that is unclear.Grey area may also refer to:*Grey Area *"The Grey Area", a song by Miss Kittin & The Hacker from the EP Champagne...
s. While the policy regarding adult prostituting differs by country, child prostitution is illegal throughout Europe. Similarly, human trafficking, forced prostitution and other abusive activities are also prohibited.
Very liberal prostitution policies exist in the Netherlands and Germany, and these countries are major destinations for international sex tourism
Sex tourism
Sex tourism is travel to engage in sexual activity with prostitutes.The World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, defines sex tourism as "trips organized from within the tourism sector, or from outside this sector but using its structures and networks, with the primary...
. Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
's prostitution windows are (in)famous all over the world.
In Sweden, Norway, and Iceland it is illegal to pay for sex, but not to be a prostitute (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute).
In Eastern Europe, the anti-prostitution laws target the prostitutes, because in these countries prostitution is condemned from a moral\conservative viewpoint.
Other countries which have restrictive prostitution policies and officially affirm an anti-prostitution stance are the UK, Ireland and France.
Among countries where prostitution is not officially and legally regulated and recognized as a job, laissez-faire and tolerant attitudes exist in Spain, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
Prostitution in Albania
Prostitution in AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
is illegal, but the country is a major exporter of human trafficking. Nearly all of the prostitutes in Albania come from Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and are bought to Albania as it is seen as a gateway to Europe, (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
)
Prostitution in Armenia
Prostitution itself is not illegal, but operating brothels and other forms of procuringProcuring
Procuring may refer to:* Procurement, a business process to acquire goods or services* Procuring , the act of aiding a prostitute in the arrangement of a sex act with a customer...
are prohibited. Operating a brothel and engaging in other forms of pimping are punishable by one to 10 years imprisonment.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union poverty has increased and many women and children are resorting to the sex trade.
Prostitution in Austria
This is an example of regulated prostitution. Prostitution is legal but restricted by several regulations. Most prostitutes are migrants, mainly from the former Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
countries.
Prostitution in Azerbaijan
Prostitution in AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
is illegal. Many Russian women have migrated from Azerbaijan to work in the sex trade in other countries. Some of these may have been trafficked though the exact figures are uncertain
Prostitution in Belarus
Prostitution is illegal in BelarusBelarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. However prostitution is present in the country, particularly in regions outside the main cities and in hotels.
Prostitution in Belgium
Human trafficking or exploiting individuals for financial gain is punishable for a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. A recent report by RiskMonitor foundation found that 70% of the prostitutes who work in Belgium are from Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Belgium is listed by the UNODC
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
. Many sex workers organisations feel that the present grey area in which prostitution operates leaves sex workers vulnerable to exploitation.
Prostitution in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Prostitution is illegal. The law treats procuring as a major crime. Under the law, trafficking is a state‑level crime that carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.Prostitution in Bulgaria
Prostitution itself is not illegal, but organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings or other forms of procuring) is prohibited. Because of poor socioeconomic conditions, a high number of Romani women were involved in prostitution.It originally gained a reputation as a transit for human trafficking, and now it has gained a reputation for being a destination for the sex trade to take place.
The Bulgarian government is stepping up its efforts to eradicate human trafficking. The sex trade is a major money maker for Bulgarian criminals.
The Bulgarian government did consider fully legalizing and regulating prostitution.
Prostitution in Croatia
Prostitution in CroatiaCroatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
is illegal, but like in many other Southeast European countries, the problem of human trafficking for the purposes of sex is big in Croatia. However, according the U.S. State Department, Croatia is a tier 1 country, actively working to prevent the sex trade.
Prostitution in Cyprus
The law does not prohibit prostitution itself, but operating brothels, organizing prostitution rings, living off the profits of prostitution, encouraging prostitution or forcing a person to engage in prostitution are illegal activities. The law regulating the hiring of women at nightclubs and cabarets provides penalties for women and employers who "partially or completely earn a living from prostitution." In July 2006 the Nicosia District Court ordered the first prostitution-related imprisonment in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots. After pleading no contest to the charges, the manager of Mexico nightclub, Mesut Kilicarslan, was sentenced to 15 days in prison for encouraging and profiting from prostitution. By year's end three more suspects were sentenced to imprisonment for encouraging and profiting from prostitution.Cyprus has been criticized by the US State Department for failing to control the follow of illegal immigrants and legal to be involved in forced prostitution. Cyprus has gained a reputation for being a major transit point for people smugglers to transport women for the purposes of prostitution. International observers have criticized the government for its lack of action to prevent forced prostitution. The law of Cyprus forbids forced (but not voluntary) prostitution. However, its believed that many immigrants are hired as bar maids and coerced into prostitution by this method.
Prostitution in the Czech Republic
In the Czech RepublicCzech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
prostitution is not illegal, but brothels or other forms of procuring are prohibited. The enforcement of these laws is lax and prostitution and other activities which surround it are very common in the country.
Ever since the Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
n Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
(1989) led to the creation of the two independent states Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, prostitution has been flourishing, and has contributed its share to the region's booming tourist economy. It is widespread in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and areas near the Republic's western borders with Germany and Austria. In 2002, the Czech Statistical Bureau estimated the trade to be worth six billion crowns ($217 million) a year.
Prostitution in Denmark
In Denmark, prostitution itself is legal, but operating brothels and other forms of pimping are illegal activities.Prostitution in Estonia
Prostitution itself is legal, but organized prostitution is illegal.Prostitution in Finland
Prostitution itself is legal in Finland (soliciting in a public place is illegal), but organized prostitution (operating a brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
or a prostitution ring and other forms of pimping) is illegal. In June 2006, parliament voted by 158 to 15 with four abstentions to approve a bill which outlaws the buying of sexual services from prostitutes if it is linked to human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
.
According to a recent TAMPEP
TAMPEP
TAMPEP is an international organization that supports the health and human rights of migrant sex workers in Europe. Founded in 1993 with headquarters in Amsterdam, the organization initially operated in Italy, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands...
study, 69% of prostitutes are foreigners.
Prostitution is generally limited to private apartments and nightclubs in larger cities, there is little "visible" prostitution.
Prostitution in France
Prostitution itself is not illegal in France, but organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings or other forms of pimping) is prohibited. Public solicitation is also illegal.Prostitution in Georgia
In GeorgiaGeorgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, prostitution is illegal, but widespread, particularly in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
. Many NGO's attribute this to the harsh economic conditions according to the US State Department. Many women from Georgia are of Human Trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
operations to or from countries. Women who are forced to be prostitutes are in Georgia are often from Asia and neighboring European countries.
In 2006 the country incorporated into its domestic law the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
The Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings is a regional human rights treaty of the international human rights law by the Council of Europe...
. The punishment for human trafficking in Georgia is 15 years. There is also a special law to protect families of Georgian women who fear reprisals from gang masters of women who refuse to forced into prostitution abroad.
Prostitution in Germany
Prostitution is legal and regulated in Germany. In 2002, the government changed the law in an effort to improve the legal situation of prostitutes. However, the social stigmaSocial stigma
Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
tization of prostitutes persists, forcing most prostitutes to lead a double life
Double Life
Double Life is a 2-CD compilation album of songs by Värttinä. It includes the entire 6.12 live album, and songs from studio albums Seleniko, Aitara and Ilmatar...
. Authorities consider the common exploitation of women from Eastern Europe to be the main problem associated with the occupation. Germany is listed by the UNODC
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
.
Prostitution in Greece
Prostitution is legal and regulated in Greece. Greek authorities decided to implement a 1999 law which stipulates that all brothels must have permits. Persons engaged in prostitution must register at the local prefecture and carry a medical card which is updated every two weeks. It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 women are legally employed as prostitutes and approximately 20,000 women, most of foreign origin, are engaged in illegal prostitution. Street prostitution is dominated by AlbanianAlbanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
refugees and immigrants. According to NGO estimates, there are 13,000-14,000 trafficking victims in the country at any given time. Major countries of origin for trafficking victims include Nigeria, Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Albania, Moldova, Romania, and Belarus.
Prostitution in Hungary
Prostitution is legal and regulated in Hungary (it has been legalized and regulated by the government in 1999). Under the law, prostitutes are basically professionals who engage in sexual activities in exchange for money. The government allows this activity as long as they pay taxes and keep legal documents.Prostitution in Iceland
Paying for sex is illegal in IcelandIceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
(the client commits a crime but not the prostitute).
Opinion polls have shown that up to 70% of the population supports banning the purchase of sexual services.
Prostitution in Ireland
Prostitution itself is not illegal in the Republic of Ireland, but the law criminalises many activities associated with it (solicitation in a public place, operating a brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
or other forms of pimping). However, female escort prostitution is widespread. Swedish type criminalizing legislation of the sex customer is being considered.
Prostitution in Italy
In Italy, prostitution itself is not illegal, but the law prohibits organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings or similar commercial enterprises and other forms of pimping).
In 2008 the Government approved a law proposal by one of its ministry to forbid street prostitution but the proposal has never been converted into law so street prostitution is still legal in Italy and is very common.
Italy is listed by the UNDOC
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
.
Prostitution in Kazakhstan
In KazakhstanKazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
prostitution itself is not illegal, but acts facilitating prostitution, such as operating a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
or prostitution ring, are illegal. Forced prostitution and prostitution connected to organized crime are prohibited.
Prostitution is a serious problem. NGOs reported that criminal prostitution rings often included local law enforcement officials.
Prostitution in Latvia
Prostitution is legal and regulated in LatviaLatvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. Prostitutes must register, must undergo monthly health checks and must carry a health card; if they fail to do so they can be penalized. Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
is a popular destination for sex tourism
Sex tourism
Sex tourism is travel to engage in sexual activity with prostitutes.The World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, defines sex tourism as "trips organized from within the tourism sector, or from outside this sector but using its structures and networks, with the primary...
. Although prostitution is regulated in Latvia, brothels and other forms of procuring are illegal. According to the law "Any activity of the third person which promotes prostitution is prohibited" and "Persons are prohibited to join in groups in order to offer and provide sexual services..." Latvia is a destination country for women trafficked from Belgium and Portugal and a source country for women trafficked to Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, Greece, Ireland, and Japan; Latvian teenage girls are also trafficked within the country. The director of The Resource Center for Women said that a lack of political will to meaningfully address issues of human trafficking, coupled with the country's debilitating economic problems and soaring unemployment levels, contribute to the proliferation of human trafficking in the country.
Prostitution in Liechtenstein
Prostitution in LiechtensteinLiechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
is illegal but is tolerated by the police as long as it is not street prostitution
Street prostitution
Street prostitution is a form of prostitution in which a sex worker solicits customers from a public place, most commonly a street, while waiting at street corners or walking alongside a street, but also other public places such as parks, beaches, etc. The street prostitute is often dressed in a...
.
Prostitution in Lithuania
Prostitution in LithuaniaLithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
is illegal, but it is common. The penalty for prostitution is a fine of $120 to $200 (300 to 500 litas) for a single offense and up to $400 (1,000 litas) for repeat offenses.
Prostitution in Luxembourg
Prostitution itself is legal in LuxembourgLuxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, but activities associated with organized prostitution, such as profiting from (operating brothels and prostitution rings) or aiding prostitution are illegal. Human trafficking incures severe penalties.
Prostitution in Malta
Prostitution itself is not illegal, but certain activities connected with it, such as running a brothel and loitering, are. Certain offences are punishable by sentences of up to two years in prison.In March 2008, police and the Ministry for Social Policy signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize a screening process for all arrested persons engaged in prostitution to determine whether they were victims of trafficking or other abuses. The law provides punishments of up to 6 years for involving minors in prostitution.
Prostitution in Moldova
Prostitution in MoldovaMoldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
is illegal, but because it is Europe's poorest country it is a major exporter of human trafficking for the purpose of the sex trade.
Human traffickers prey most on the women from the poor villages.
Women and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation to Turkey, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Russia, Cyprus, Greece, Albania, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, France, Italy, and Portugal. The authorities are trying to lead awareness among the population about the extent of this problem. During the last years, the authorities have launched numerous information campaigns, including one which consisted of billboards in the streets of the capital, Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
, depicting a girl gripped in a huge clenched fist, being exchanged for dollars, which read: "You are not for sale".
Prostitution in the Netherlands
Prostitution is legal and regulated in the Netherlands, and it is common. Netherlands has one of the most liberal prostitution policies in the world, and, as such, it attracts sex tourists from many European countries and from the USA.Netherlands is listed by the UNODC
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
. Out of all Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
's prostitutes, more than 75% are from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, according to a former prostitute who produced a report about the sex trade in Amsterdam.
Prostitution in Norway
Paying for sex is illegal (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute). This law prohibiting the buying of sexual services (sexkjøpsloven) came into effect on January 1, 2009, following the passing of new legislation by the Storting in November 2008.Prostitution in Poland
In Poland prostitution is legal, but operating brothels or other forms of pimping or coercive prostitution and prostitution of minors are prohibited.Prostitution in Portugal
In Portugal prostitution itself is not illegal, but organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution rings and other forms of pimping) is prohibited. Forced prostitution and human trafficking are also illegal. By the mid-2000s, the number of female prostitutes was estimated at 28,000, at least 50% were foreigners.Prostitution in the Republic of Macedonia
Prostitution in the Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
is illegal, but flourishes in the Balkans. The country is a major transit point for prostitution to the west.
The Macedonian government is trying to clamp down on prostitution. The trafficking of women for sex is worth billions in Macedonia and is considered to be run primarily by Albanian gangsters.
Prostitution in Romania
Prostitution is illegal in RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The government had considered legalizing and regulating it (in 2007). The Association for the Promotion of Women in Romania opposes legalized prostitution, as they view prostitution as "another form of
violence against women and girls". Also, the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR) often protests against prostitution.
Romania is among the 11 countries listed by the United Nations as the biggest sources of human trafficking, based on reported numbers of victims. Every year thousands of women and girls, some as young as 13, are kidnapped or lured by promises of well-paid jobs or marriage and sold to gangs who lock them up in night clubs and brothels or force them to work on the streets. Homeless children in Romania have increasingly been trafficked under false pretenses and forced into prostitution in Berlin and Hamburg, Germany and Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Prostitution in Russia
Prostitution is an administrative, but not criminal offence in Russia (such as, for example, drinking beer in a public place or walking nude on the street). The maximum punishment is a fine up to 2000 rublesRussian ruble
The ruble or rouble is the currency of the Russian Federation and the two partially recognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Formerly, the ruble was also the currency of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union prior to their breakups. Belarus and Transnistria also use currencies with...
; however, organizing prostitution or engaging somebody into prostitution is punishable by a prison term.
Prostitution in Serbia
Prostitution in SerbiaSerbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
is illegal and can incur a prison sentence of between 5 and 10 years. Prostitution is a major problem in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
with many albanian gangsters buying prostitues from Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and other and then using the huge instability there to their advantage by transitinng the prostitues to other places in europe. The police are unwilling to consider legalising it despite demands from sex workers.
Prostitution in Slovakia
Prostitution itself is not illegal, but operating brothels and other activities related to prostitution are prohibited.Prostitution in Spain
Prostitution itself is not illegal in Spain. However pimping is. Owning an establishment where prostitution takes place is not illegal, provided that the owner neither derives financial gain from prostitution nor hires any person for the purposes of selling sex because prostitution is not considered a job, and has no legal recognition. Municipalities vary in their approach to regulating prostitution, both indoor and outdoor.Prostitution in Sweden
Paying for sex is illegal (the client commits a crime, but not the prostitute). The Sex Purchase Act (Sexköpslagen), which makes it illegal to pay for sex but not to be a prostitute, was adopted in 1999 and at that time it was unique. Since then a similar law has been adopted by Norway and IcelandIceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
The rationale underpinning the law was the view that prostitution was a form of violence against women
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
so the crime consists in the customer paying for sex, not in the prostitute selling sexual services. This rationale sees the seller of sex as the weaker and exploited partner in the exchange.
Prostitution in Switzerland
Prostitution in Switzerland is legal and regulated. Licensed brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s, typically with a reception and leading to several studio apartment
Studio apartment
A studio apartment, also known as a studio flat , efficiency apartment or bachelor/bachelorette style apartment, is a small apartment which combines living room, bedroom, and kitchen or kitchenette into a single room...
s, are available. Street prostitution is illegal, except in specially designated areas in the major cities. Many prostitutes operate using newspaper advertisements, mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s and secondary rented apartments. It is legal to advertise for "massages" in Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
tabloid newspapers. Swiss prostitutes pay VAT
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
(value added tax) on their services and some accept credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
s. The majority of prostitutes are foreigners from Latin America, Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
or the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. In recent years the number of prostitutes has increased. The prostitution business often becomes violent, it can involve attacks, turf wars, gunfights and arson attacks on rivals' prostitution establishments.
The Police are installing sex boxes to protect prostitutes.
Prostitution in Turkey
In Turkey, prostitution is legal and regulated. Prostitutes must register and acquire an ID card stating the dates of their health checks. Also it is mandatory for registered prostitutes to have regular health checks for sexually transmitted diseases. The police are allowed to check the authenticity of registered prostitutes to determine whether they have been examined properly and to ensure they see the health authorities if they don't. Men cannot register under this regulation. Most sex workers, however, are unregistered, as local governments have made it policy not to issue new registrations. As a result most sex workers in Turkey are not registered sex workers, working in violation of the law. Turkey is listed by the UNODCUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
as a top destination for victims of human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
.
Prostitution in Ukraine
Prostitution is illegal in UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, but widespread and largely ignored by the government. Sex tourism rose as the country attracted greater numbers of foreign tourists. Laws criminalizing organized prostitution and penalties for human trafficking have had little effect because many convicted traffickers often do not end up serving prison time.
Prostitution in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, prostitution itself is legal, but a number of related activities, including soliciting in a public place, kerb crawling, keeping a brothelBrothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
, pimping and pandering
Procuring (prostitution)
Procuring or pandering is the facilitation or provision of a prostitute in the arrangement of a sex act with a customer. Examples of procuring include:*trafficking a prostitute into a country for the purpose of soliciting sex...
, are outlawed.
The Policing and Crime Act 2009
Policing and Crime Act 2009
The Policing and Crime Act 2009 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act makes provision about police reform, prostitutes, sex offenders, sex establishments and certain other premises...
makes it illegal to pay for sex with a prostitute who has been "subjected to force" and this is a strict liability offense (clients can be prosecuted even if they didn’t know the prostitute was forced).