Is prostitution legal in Amsterdam? Yes, prostitution is legal and regulated in the Netherlands. The Red Light District is located in Amsterdam’s old city center, an area known for its long-standing tolerance towards sex workers. This historic neighborhood is one of the world’s most famous spots for legally engaging with prostitutes.
To learn more about the Red Light District, a representative from the Prostitution Information Center in Amsterdam offered to share useful tips to help prepare travelers for a visit. In addition to providing practical information, the center sheds some light on issues facing the neighborhood today.
Prostitution Information Center (PIC) in Amsterdam
Why is it called the Red Light District?
Prostitution has been in the area for centuries since Amsterdam is a harbor city and the harbor is only a five-minute walk away. Historically, sailors who have been at sea for months want to get drunk and have sex, so there is a similar area in most harbors. Red lights are used to signal there’s prostitution. Red light is also very becoming; it takes years off your appearance.
What is the mission of the Prostitution Information Center (PIC)?
The Prostitution Information Center’s mission is to inform anyone who wants to know more about sex work and how it works. PIC representatives know what they’re talking about since many of them have been sex workers themselves. PIC’s message is important because the media tends to only highlight all the rotten things about the sex industry. There are cases of forced prostitution and human trafficking, but not nearly as many as the media makes people believe. Most women in Amsterdam are just doing their job and doing it voluntarily. That is a story that also needs to be told. Sex work is work, human trafficking is a crime and those two things are not the same.
What are some issues facing the Red Light District?
One issue is overcrowding. Tourists have been known to annoy the people who live in the Red Light District since it’s a residential area as well. People tend to blame the sex workers for the tsunami of drunk and loud groups, but banning the sex workers from the area, as some people have proposed, is not the solution in our view. There are still pubs and coffee shops that would attract them.
What might surprise travelers about prostitution being legal in Amsterdam?
According to municipal health care statistics, female sex workers in Amsterdam are healthier regarding STDs or STIs compared to the female student population in Amsterdam. Also, since sex work is legal, sex workers are all registered at the Chamber of Commerce as independent entrepreneurs, and they pay taxes.
Are there any rules that visitors should follow in the Red Light District?
The thing that bothers sex workers the most is people filming them or taking pictures. Please do not do that, not only is it disrespectful but it may actually harm them since most ladies are from countries where sex work is illegal. NO PICTURES, please. You may look at them, but please treat them with respect, just like you would treat any human being. No pointing at them, laughing and calling them names. And, please do not block the windows, that’s bad for business.
How has prostitution in Amsterdam changed over the years?
The biggest change is the number of tourists visiting the area, which results in residents complaining. Also, the Amsterdam municipal council’s 1012 project has done a lot of harm with the closing of 100 windows, which means that 100 safe and permitted working places were removed. Due to regulations in the Red Light District, it is one of the safest areas to work. Windows can only be opened from the inside, there are alarm buttons and a lot of cameras, both police and private CCTV systems.
“Belle” Statue in Amsterdam: “Respect sex workers all over the world.”
Prostitution Information Center
PIC is a non-profit information and education center about sex work in the Amsterdam’s Red Light District. The organization was established in 1994 by Mariska Majoor, a former sex worker. Based in the Red Light District, PIC aims to inform the public about the social conditions of women working in the sex industry. PIC defends the rights of sex workers, fights for their respect and advocates for policy change intended to protect them.
Address: Enge Kerksteeg 3, 1012 GV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 12pm to 5pm
Tours: Tours of the Red Light District leave from the shop at 5pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It is recommended to reserve your spot in advance. Guides are often current or former sex workers.
Length: 1.5 hours.
Languages: Dutch and English
If you enjoyed Is Prostitution Legal in Amsterdam, check out other stories about traveling in Europe.
