Most prostitution activities in Ireland take place indoors and are advertised on the Internet. Street prostitution has decreased considerably. [67] Although sex work itself is not prohibited, § 207b[145] Sexual abuse of minors allows for the prosecution of clients of workers under the age of 18. Further restrictions are listed in §§ 214 to 217. Medical examinations are required by AIDS and STD laws. [146] Austrian provincial laws further restrict the times and places of prostitution. [147] The most restrictive law is that of Vorarlberg, where prostitution is legal only in licensed brothels and no such license has been granted so far. [146] First, the period of Estonian independence 1918-1940, when prostitution was legalized in Estonia. Second, the period of Soviet occupation, when prostitution was criminalized. Third, since Estonia`s new independence, when prostitution is neither criminalized nor legalized (i.e.
the sale and purchase of a sexual service is not a crime, but prostitution is not considered a profession either). The country is a major transit point for prostitution in the West. [120] [121] In 2003, it was reported that trafficking of women from the Balkans to Western Europe was worth billions of dollars for sex, the beneficiaries being the Albanian National Liberation Army in North Macedonia. [122] Prostitution itself is legal in Luxembourg, but activities related to organized prostitution (such as running brothels and prostitution rings) or complicity in prostitution are illegal. [167] Human trafficking is punishable by severe penalties. [168] [169] There are an estimated 300 prostitutes in Luxembourg, most of whom are immigrants. [170] Prostitution in Slovenia was decriminalized in June 2003. [133] Coercing others into prostitution is an offence under section 175 of the Criminal Code. [134] Prostitution is legal and regulated in Hungary.
(It has been legalized and regulated by the government since 1999.) According to the law, prostitutes are professionals who engage in sexual activities in exchange for money. The government allows this activity as long as it pays taxes and keeps legal records. The vast majority of legally registered sex workers work in brothels, which also suggests that most of those who are not registered work at home or on the street. Prostitution is regulated by law in Austria and regulated by the Criminal Code[142] under Section Tenth Section Offences against Sexual Integrity and Self-Determination (§§ 201-220b). Most sex workers are migrants. [143] According to a 2010 TAMPEP study, 78% of sex workers in Austria are foreigners. [144] Prostitution is legal in Germany, as are all aspects of the sex industry, including brothels, advertising, and job offers through recruitment companies. Full-service sex work is widespread and regulated by the German government, which levies taxes on it. [163] In 2002, the government amended the law to improve the legal position of sex workers. However, the social stigma of sex work persists and many workers continue to lead double lives. [164] Prostitution is legal from the age of 18. Persons engaged in prostitution must register with the local prefecture and carry a medical card, which is updated every two weeks.
The Greek authorities decided to apply a 1999 law requiring all brothels to have permits. [103] It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 women are legally employed as prostitutes and that about 20,000 women, mostly of foreign origin, engage in illegal prostitution. [104] [105] NGOs estimate that there are between 13,000 and 14,000 victims of trafficking in the country at any given time. The main countries of origin of victims of trafficking are Nigeria, Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Moldova and Belarus. [104] Section 213[49] criminalizes contracting; It states: “Provoking or facilitating the practice of prostitution or obtaining financial benefits from the practice of prostitution by one or more persons shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of not less than 2 years and not more than 7 years and a ban on the exercise of certain rights.” In certain aggravating circumstances, the penalty may be increased. The Penal Code also criminalizes several offences against slavery, trafficking in human beings, trafficking in children, forced labour and use of exploited persons (Article 182 Exploitation of persons, Article 209 Slavery, Article 210 Trafficking in human beings, Article 211 Trafficking in human beings, Article 212 Forced or compulsory labour, Article 216 Use of the services of an exploited person). [50] Prior to the Kosovo war that followed Kosovo`s declaration of independence in 2008, prostitution was limited to the needs of the inhabitants. [113] Following the ceasefire and the presence of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo and other international organizations in the country, the demand for prostitution exploded. In addition to women who voluntarily turned to prostitution, some from Moldova, Bulgaria and Ukraine were trafficked. [113] A number of countries recognize prostitution as an exploitative system based on gender-based violence and discrimination and, as a result, have enacted laws that only decriminalize prostitutes, provide services to them, while holding sexual buyers and other perpetrators accountable for the harm they cause. Jurisdictions that have enacted such laws, known as the Nordic, abolitionist or equality model, include Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Northern Ireland, Canada, France, Ireland and Israel.
Prostitution is legal and regulated in Germany, but lawmakers banned it in March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. At the beginning of the summer, when this country and the rest of Europe began to reopen their economies, the German ban on prostitution remained in force. This has angered sex workers, brothel owners and managers like Natalie, who say the ban has not only resulted in a sudden loss of income, but more importantly put workers` lives at risk. A 2017 report by Iceland`s national police commissioner said prostitution had “exploded” in the past 18 months. [60] The vast majority of prostitutes in the country are foreigners. [60] Police believe that prostitution in Iceland is partly linked to organized crime and human trafficking. [60] Prostitution has been decriminalized in Belgium since June 1, 2022,[148] but the law prohibits pimping[149] or aiding and abetting immigration for the purpose of prostitution. In practice, however, enforcement can be lax and “unofficial” brothels are tolerated (e.g. in Antwerp). Trafficking in human beings or exploitation of persons for financial purposes is punishable by up to 30 years` imprisonment.
[150] A recent report by the RiskMonitor Foundation indicates that 80% of prostitutes working as window prostitutes in Belgium come from Bulgaria. [151] Belgium is listed by UNODC as one of the top destinations for victims of trafficking. [141] Many sex workers believe that the current grey area in which prostitution operates makes sex workers vulnerable to exploitation. [152] [153] [154] [155] [156] Belgian and German prostitution laws define sex trafficking as a legitimate industry, define those purchased there as “workers” or “independent agents,” and classify third-party exploiters as “employers” or bona fide business owners.