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Northern German States Agree to Reopen Brothels, Despite COVID-19 Uptick

Jamie Dettmer

   Several states in northern Germany are set to lift or ease pandemic
   restrictions on prostitution, with North Rhine-Westphalia now allowing
   sex workers to resume their business. The decision comes in the wake of
   several court cases filed by sex workers, who argued the restrictions
   unfairly discriminated against them.

   The sex workers contrasted the ban on their activities with the lifting
   weeks ago on gyms and physical fitness studios. The Higher
   Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia agreed with the
   argument, ruling it was not clear the risk of infection was much higher
   during sexual acts between a couple than at private gatherings of up to
   150 people.

   It overturned the ban on prostitution with the ruling taking effect
   Tuesday in North Rhine-Westphalia, which banned sex work five months
   ago.

   Several courts have followed suit and three other jurisdictions,
   including the city states of Hamburg and Bremen, will allow brothels to
   resume business September 15. Hamburg is home to one of the World's
   most famous red-light areas, the Reeperbahn.

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