Brothels in the Netherlands, including those in the famous Amsterdam Red Light District, reopened today after being closed since mid-March due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
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From 1 July, all “contact jobs” are again permitted in the Netherlands, an authorization which concerns in particular sex workers.
The government had previously expected brothels to reopen on September 1, but sex workers wanted to be able to resume business sooner.
“We are all so relieved to be able to return to work because many sex workers have received no government assistance,” Foxxy, a sex worker in Amsterdam, told AFP.
“We are delighted to be making money again,” she adds.
However, sex workers must follow certain rules to avoid contamination with the new coronavirus, such as checking in advance if a client has symptoms of Covid-19.
“Before making an appointment, I need to check with the client if they are feeling fine and have no symptoms, or if any member of their household is experiencing symptoms,” says working Foxxy as an independent. She rents a room in a sex club outside the Red Light District.
Then apply the same sanitary rules and directives as usual, she says, like disinfecting the room, washing your hands, changing the sheets between each appointment.
“These are the basic necessities. But we are not forced to wear a mask during the meetings, thank God, ”says Foxxy, activist at the Prostitution Information Center (PIC) in Amsterdam.
She does not expect a drop in activity due to strict health directives or a possible risk of contagion to the Covid-19: for the reopening day Wednesday, her calendar displays “full”.
Prostitution has been legal in the Netherlands since 2000. Sex workers must be registered with the chamber of commerce and pay income tax.
Some 7,000 people work in this sector in the city of Amsterdam alone, where around 75% of prostitutes come from low-income countries, especially Eastern Europe, according to official figures.
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