Red alert: 1,400 prostitutes – dark field in Saxony threatens!

Red alert: 1,400 prostitutes – dark field in Saxony threatens!

There is a clearly increasing picture of prostitution in Saxony: with almost 1,000 officially registered prostitutes in 2024, the number has increased by 60 compared to the previous year. Cities such as Dresden and Chemnitz, where most sex workers are registered, are particularly affected by this development. But Green MP Katja Meier sees a worrying discrepancy in these figures and warns of a significant dark area in the industry. According to Welt, this is because many sex workers forgo registration for fear of stigmatization and data protection concerns.

The Leila and Daria advice centers recorded over 1,400 contacts in 2024, and there were also around 430 on-site consultations. This highlights the need for support, which is far from being covered by the official figures. The low numbers from Görlitz, where only two prostitutes are reported, are particularly alarming. This could indicate deficiencies in the recording.

Dark field and defenseless prostitution

It has repeatedly been shown that many sex workers do not register, which increases the likelihood of ending up in the shadows of illegality. Here, MP Meier sees the bureaucratic hurdles as problematic. Since the introduction of the Prostitute Protection Act in 2017, sex workers have been required to register and receive health advice. The law is intended to ensure protection against exploitation and coercion, but has met with criticism. As taz reports, the evaluations of the law show “considerable successes”, but the acceptance of the registration process among prostitutes is in great need of improvement.

A central problem is possible stigmatization, which prevents many affected people from having the courage to register. Findings from various surveys show that the constitutionally protected activity of prostitution has not failed, but urgently needs improvements, particularly with regard to access to the registration process and the training of skilled workers.

Legal framework

The legal basis for prostitution in Saxony is clearly regulated: Prostitution remains prohibited in communities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants. Registration is only possible in cities such as Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz, Zwickau, Plauen and Görlitz. This regulation has been applied since 1991 on the basis of a regulation by the Saxon state government, which was last updated in 2012. Violations can result in administrative fines and, if repeated, even criminal consequences. These strict requirements could lead to many sex workers working without official registration, which massively endangers their protection, as revosax states.

Overall, the issue of prostitution in Saxony faces major challenges. While the number of reported sex workers increases, the issue of safety and effective protection remains a pressing issue. It is becoming clear that it is time to find solutions that not only increase registration numbers, but also meet the real needs of those affected.