As coronavirus shuts Germany’s brothels, no one seems to care about plight of sex workers
- The country’s coronavirus restrictions have hit sex workers particularly hard
- They aren’t eligible for certain financial aid from the state, leaving many in danger of becoming homeless and desperate
A campaign organised by the counselling centre Amalie for sex workers in Mannheim, in the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, aims to change that by calling attention to the plight of these women.
The centre distributes “survival” bags filled with groceries and hygiene products. Flour, rice, spaghetti, a toothbrush and tampons – women like Natascha, who does not want to share her real name, are very happy about the contents.
“We want to help bridge the time of the coronavirus pandemic, during which prostitution has been banned, and show the women that they haven’t been forgotten,” said Julia Wege, head of the welfare centre that is funded by the city and the social ministry.
The Professional Association for Erotic and Sexual Service Providers (BesD) gets to the heart of the situation: It’s “a catastrophe, the pandemic exacerbates issues like poverty, a lack of health protection and homelessness,” according to spokeswoman Susanne Bleier-Wilp.
The BesD was able to support 100 women, who were neither eligible for basic social security nor had access to other financial sources, with an emergency fund of 25,000 euros (US$27,400) from private donations. “But the government should also help, this can’t be the responsibility of individuals,” said Bleier-Wilp.