First sex drive-in in Switzerland divides residents and politicians

As the Swiss city of Zurich opens the country's first sex drive-in to better regulate prostitution and move the sex trade outside the city centre, residents, politicians and sex workers remain divided over the scheme.

The nine so-called "sex boxes" will be available to prostitutes and their clients from today onwards, in a former industrial zone in the west of the city.

Inspired by a similar initiative in Germany, the Zurich authorities want to alter the image of the city's Sihlquai district, where sex workers openly ply their trade each night, to the dismay of the residents.

"Prostitution is a business basically. We cannot prohibit it, so we want to control it in favour of the sex workers and the population," said Michael Herzig, director of social services for sex workers in the city.

"Because if we do not control it, organised crime is taking over, and the pimps are taking over," he said.

Local authorities recognise that they have no guarantee that the new site will be successful but have worked hard to convince prostitutes to come and inspect the premises.