We use cookies to improve our service for you. You can find more information in our data protection declaration. Under new rules for the oldest profession, prostitutes in Germany required to register themselves. However, authorities in the city of Hamburg believe only a fraction there have done so. They must also receive a consultation from a medical professional. So far in Hamburg, officials say only about prostitutes have registered โ with some identity permits so far issued allowing them to ply their trade.
Read more : German brothels get new 'ethical sex seal' for prostitution. The regulations apply widely, with establishments touted as "escort apartments" and "sauna clubs" expected to comply as well as individuals operating on the streets.
The new rules also create new obligations for clients, who must wear condoms when having sex with prostitutes, and involve penalties for those exploiting sex workers who they know to have been forced into prostitution. Hamburg's prostitution scene is renowned across Europe, particularly the city's Reeperbahn red-light district. A duty to register applies to all sex workers, but implementation has been slow. In Hamburg itself, for instance, sex workers who have attempted to register have only been able to do so at certain times of day because of staff shortages.
As a result, officials have said they do not want to impose fines at this stage. The legislation change has not been without critics, with some arguing that requirements such as the use of condoms would be a nightmare to enforce.
Some have complained that they feel "forcibly outed" as sex workers and that, rather than enjoying greater protection, they are more likely to be stigmatized, criminalized and forced further underground. Germany has passed a new prostitution law to fight human trafficking and exploitation.
