The city centre in Amsterdam is extremely busy, one of the most popular tourist attractions being the Red Light District. The RLD has been a place of prostitution for years. However, the increase in tourist numbers is the cause of a lot of nuisances for residents and prostitutes in the area. This prostitution is often illegal and unsafe due to the lack of oversight. As clients find prostitutes online, many RLD windows are now empty during the day, leading to the debate of whether prostitution under these circumstances is still appropriate.
To lessen the problems caused by tourists, the city council parties now propose giving out licenses for prostitution outside of the historical city centre. The parties hope that this measure will then encourage prostitutes to move to a safe place where they can work legally without bother from tourists.
These new areas should also be accessible for prostitutes whose services are listed online. Currently, sex workers in the RLD may only receive passers-by. Whilst the parties propose the option of alternative locations, none support the compulsory closure of the brothels in the RLD.
Next year, mayor of Amsterdam , Femke Halsema will present a new prostitution policy, which will incorporate the proposals made by the coalition parties.
Not everyone is happy with the plans to issue licenses for prostitution outside the city centre. In particular, Jan Broers, a brothel operator in the RLD feels like he is being bullied out of the area. By clicking subscribe, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy. For more information, please visit this page. Completed her Master's degree at the University of Groningen and worked as a translator before joining IamExpat.
