Huh. Sex huts in Zurich.

When I accessed my email this am, I saw an article about new sex garages being used on the outskirts of Zurich, where prostitution is legal. These are 3 sided garages, without doors, that have a panic button on the passenger-side wall and on-site social workers justincase, but no video cameras for the worker's safety. These hotbeds, which were voted in by the citizens of Zurich, are costing $760,000 US annually in taxes.

From The Guardian:

Voters in Zurich approved spending up to SFr2.4m ($2.6m) on the project last year as a way of moving away from a downtown area where it had become a public nuisance and because of safety concerns over a lack of sanitation, aggressive men and associated drugs and violence. The city, which only allows prostitution in certain areas, also plans to spend SFr700,000 a year to keep the sex boxes running.

The drive-in sheds have no doors to shut and come equipped with an emergency call button on the passenger side of the structure that sets off a flashing light and an alarm inside an adjacent office building where the city will post social workers specially trained to provide a measure of security. The Zurich police say they will increase patrols around the perimeter of the facility to protect the sex workers when they leave and enter.

No video surveillance was installed at the sex boxes, so as not to scare off business, but also because police and city officials concluded after studying the handful of other such facilities in Europe that the only thing that would improve safety is an on-site security presence. To use the place, sex workers also must obtain a special permit, at a cost of 40 Swiss francs ($43) a year, and pay 5 francs ($5.40) a night in taxes, which helps the city offset maintenance costs.
"We can't solve the whole problem of exploitation and human trafficking," said Herzig, "but at least we want to reduce the harm, especially the violence."

In Switzerland, anyone who works in the sex trade must be at least 16, the legal age of sexual maturity.

Huh. If this referendum came to my shore, I would have to vote it down.
It would change my whole anarchocommie trajectory.

 

I would totally vote for it. I am a big believer in prostitution being legal, in large part because I really think legal prostitution, and concurrent safety measures like this, are the best way to reduce harm to sex workers, improve public health, and curb human trafficking, forced prostitution, and sex slavery. This seems like a great program to me.

 

Wait. How does this program reduce harm to sex workers, improve public health, curb human trafficking, forced prostitution, and sex slavery?

 

How is it costing $760,000? I would think that they would be making $760,000 at least. How expensive are these boxes?

I would want to bring my own girlfriend and have sex in the box or red light district.

 

The tree is off limits....

 

So how does this actually work?
The woman is out street walking, you pick her up, and drive to the garage?
Or is she in the garage waiting, and gets in your car when you pull in?
Can I get my oil changed while I'm there? You could put one of those Jiffy-Lube pits under the cars and get the oil changed while you're busy. Seems like a natural match of services to provide in a garage.

 

I first read the thread title as "Sex hurts in Zurich"

 

Me too!

There is an element of this discussion happening in Toronto right now. Prostitution is legal in Canada. What is illegal is: Brothels (or Common Bawdy House), Pimping (Living off the avails of Prostitution) and Public Communication (public solicitation).

It was argued, successfully, that while the act is legal all of these illegal acts serve to make the profession unsafe. If a sex worker can't communicate with a client in public, they can't check them out in safety and weed out the potentially bad ones. While curbing Pimps is a good thing, the unintended consequence of this act prevents sex workers from having security or drivers. Outlawing brothels, which can be any sort of incall establishment form a house or condo shared by a number of workers to someone having their own apartment, means that the workers have to go to someone's hotel room or their residence (ie a situation over which they have no control).

The laws have been struck down, and I am not sure there is any drive to replace the laws at this time.

 

I would have expected something else. I thought it would be more like a bedroom, or at least have some curtains.

 

I have nothing against prostitution... it is the abuse, violence, exploitation and racketing that I hate

 

What does the sign say?? Wear condoms so you don't get aids??


I'm all for it. I'd vote for it. I agree that the us needs to be more sexually open. Only place where I know prostitution is legal is Vegas.

 

It isn't 'legal' there. Outside of Nye County it is in Nevada...But very awkward when driving in a car with your boss and you pass a brothel with a big billboard...