Prostitution is big business in Europe. By some estimates, the number of prostitutes across the European Union's 28 members states ranges between , and as many as 1. While prostitution has a long history in Europe, it's legality varies from country to country. In countries like Germany and Greece, the sex trade is fully legalized and regulated, whereas is many northern European countries like Sweden, it is illegal to buy sex, but not illegal to sell it.
Brothels and red-light districts have been a part of major European cities like Amsterdam and Hamburg for decades and, in some cases, centuries. But the current era of prostitution began around when the Netherlands became one of the first major European countries to formalize prostitution's legality and regulate it like any other industry. Germany, Greece, and others followed suit, though Switzerland has had fully legal prostitution since Legalizing and regulating prostitution was supposed to make the trade safer for sex workers, helping them access critical health and government services, but by most accounts, it mostly resulted in turning prostitution a major industry with hotel-sized brothels, brothel chains, and a cash cow of tax revenue.
(mh=H62EecHkSDN_cqvk)0.jpg "Call girl Hamburg")
Source: The Independent. Source: Dignity , Spokesman. Source: The Telegraph. Source: PRI. Source: New York Times. Source: USAToday. Source: BZ Berlin. Source: DW. Source: Foreign Policy. Source: Sputnik News. Source: BBC. Read next. Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. Homepage Newsletters. Business Insider. Share icon An curved arrow pointing right. Share Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope.
It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Have an account? Log in. Prostitution is legal and regulated in Germany , Switzerland , Greece , Austria , and many other countries in Europe.
(mh=XN3wApoGlvJl2ltp)16.jpg "Anal Girl in Hamburg")
Many major European cities have red-light districts and regulated brothels that pay taxes and follow certain rules. Regulating the prostitution industry was supposed to help limit sex trafficking and connect sex workers with critical health and government services, but reports say there hasn't been much success on either front.
