Germany is trying to bring prostitution out of the shadows, but the world's oldest profession is not rushing to embrace reforms that boost legal protection for sex workers and entitle them to welfare benefits.
A law passed last year by Germany's center-left government that came into effect in January recognizes prostitution as a legitimate occupation and allows sex workers to sue their clients for mistreatment or if they fail to pay.
But even though trade unions are planning to draw up standard contracts for sex workers and health insurers will discuss how to cover them, little has changed in practice and few prostitutes have formalized their status so far.
In addition, large numbers of sex workers who are illegal immigrants or drug addicts working the streets are outside the reach of the new provisions, raising concerns about a two-tier market of insured prostitutes and an uncovered underclass.
Anarchic profession
Anita, a prostitute working in the northern port of Hamburg who would only give her age as "over 40," said most sex workers did not want to go public and would rather give their profession as beautician or masseuse when applying for health insurance.
"Most of the girls on the game just laugh about it, and ask whether it will make any difference," she said.
"The sex industry is very anarchic and can't be ruled by laws. There will always be pimping and a black market."
Prostitution was already tolerated in Germany and sex workers were supposed to pay tax on their earnings, but sexual services were previously described as "immoral" in the country's laws, meaning sex workers had little legal protection.
The new law passed by parliament last year scrapped the "immoral" label and gives prostitutes the right to claim paid holidays, social security, health insurance and a pension.
About 400,000 prostitutes are estimated to ply their trade in Germany, serving 1.2 million clients a day in an industry with an annual turnover of 6.4 billion euros (US$5.77 billion).
Nearly two-thirds work in bars, clubs or brothels. About a sixth are estimated to work on the street and the rest operate as call girls or escorts. About eight percent are drug addicts.
Contracts
Felicitas Weigmann, perhaps Germany's best known prostitute who campaigned hard for the reform, has decided to offer staff at her Berlin brothel, "Cafe Pssst!," a 40-hour week for a monthly wage of 600 euros, plus profit sharing of 40 euros per client.
None have taken it up so far and she is sceptical that contracts will catch on as most of the workers at "Cafe Pssst!" are self-employed and would be loath to hand over a large portion of their income in welfare contributions.
"Most people are waiting to see what the others are doing. They are worried about information being shared," she said.
"They want to be insured but they don't want everybody to know what they do and they are afraid of being outed, particularly if they want to return to a normal job later."
Maria, a 23-year-old working in a regulated street of brothels just off Hamburg's notorious "Reeperbahn" red-light district, was also doubtful whether the reforms would help her.
"I don't think it will make any difference. I don't need any extra protection. I already have a private pension," she said, bursting out of a leopard skin bikini as she sat at a window waiting for customers with a row of other scantily-clad women.
The Pro Prostitution lobby group estimates that only about one percent of sex workers will register for social security.
Anita said younger girls like Maria were not interested in the law because they assumed they would not be selling sex for long: "But it could be good for older women who don't want to end up claiming welfare or for those who are already pretty self-confident and out in the open."
First step
Many in the industry say the new legislation is a vital first step to reducing the stigma surrounding the profession and providing better protection for sex workers in the courts.
"What is important is decriminalization and symbolic recognition. It also means more rights," said Weigmann, 42, whose brothel charges 125 euros a session.
"If well-run brothels are not allowed then prostitutes are left at the mercy of violence and criminals."
Anita agreed: "Not many will use it, but even if it is only a few, it is a step in the right direction. It is good for public opinion if it is recognized as a job."
Weigmann said prostitutes would fight for further reforms such as the right to advertise their services and an end to rules which ban them from certain areas, which she says often pushes prostitutes to work in dangerous parts of town.
Irmingard Schewe-Gerigk, a member of parliament for the ecologist Greens who lobbied for the reform, said it would take time for the new rules to make a difference.
"Given that prostitutes have been disadvantaged for centuries, you can't expect that within such a short space of time that the new legal provisions will be known about everywhere and translated into practice," she said.
Taking advantage
Germany's Der Spiegel magazine reported recently that some pimps and brothel owners were taking extra cash from their workers, saying it was due to provisions in the new law.
Schewe-Gerigk said Germany's main insurance groups would meet to discuss how to best incorporate prostitutes into their schemes, while the huge services trade union Verdi was working on putting together a standard work contract.
But Anke Mohnert, who works at a drop-in center in Hamburg for girls as young as 13 who sell sex to pay for drugs, is concerned the law could lead to further stigmatization of sex workers who do not work in regulated brothels.
"These girls are only doing it to get drugs. They don't even have money for clothes and money, let alone thinking about putting something away for pensions," she said.
"I am sure it will benefit some women, but it has no effect on the black market in prostitutes, for minors who have run away from abusive homes and for the trade on the Internet.
"I am worried that the public will form an opinion that there are good prostitutes who insure themselves and those who don't and who therefore shouldn't get anything in return.
"It also worries me that prostitution should be described as a job which gives the impression that it is a legitimate profession and that men can pay for anything they want and the women can't say no."
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