Sex Worker Registrations Rise After Pandemic in Germany
- VIVA/Andrew Tito
Germany – According to official figures published by the Federal Statistics Agency (Destatis) on Friday revealed that the number of sex worker registration in Germany at the end of 2022 was 28,280, a rise of 19,1% compared with the year before.
Experts attribute a large part of the rise to the reopening of businesses after restrictions in place during the worst two years of the Coronavirus pandemic, 2020 and 2021.
In detail, the total number of sex workers registered at the end of 2022 was still far below what it was before the pandemic – 40,370 – in 2019, as quoted from DW site.
Ilustrasi pekerja seks komersial (PSK).
- VIVAnews/Tudji Martudji
Just under a fifth, 5,204, of those registered, had German citizenship, with a large majority of foreign sex workers, 20,969, coming from within Europe.
The three most common nationalities were Romanian with 9,870 (35% of the total registered), Bulgarian with 3,140 (11%), and Spanish with 1,760 (6%).
The statistics agency reported that there were 2,310 prostitution businesses, compared with 2,290 at the end of 2021 and 1,170 at the end of 2019.
The agency recorded 1,202 sex workers as coming from Asia and a further 661 as from the Americas.
More than three-quarters of registered sex workers (76%) were aged between 21 and 44, with 1,050 (4%) aged between 18 and 20.
Most of the registered businesses were prostitution establishments such as brothels but some 5% were agencies and 3% were logged as vehicles for sex workers or special events.
No details on gender
Ilustrasi Pekerja Seks Komersial (PSK).
- Tudji Martudji | VIVAnews
The figures were based on figures gathered under Germany's Prostitution Act, which came into force in 2002 with the aim of improving the social and legal position of sex workers.
It means that sex workers and businesses are required to register with the authorities and mandates that condoms be used during sex work. Statistics are based on the information provided when registering and details of sex or gender are not required.
Unofficial estimates in 2019 placed the total number of sex workers in Germany at more than 400,000, meaning that some 90% were unregistered at that time – and technically working illegally. During the lockdown, such unregistered workers were unable to claim compensation.
Among the reasons for not registering are privacy concerns, not having an address and a lack of legal residency status in Germany.
