Best Brothels
Best Escort Agencies
Best Cam Sites
In Lucerne, more and more sex workers are choosing to work from private apartments instead of registered brothels. This change is making it harder for the police to track their activities and ensure their safety.
A recent report states that nearly half of all sex workers in Switzerland now operate from private homes. Police in Lucerne say it is difficult to keep track of them since many advertise online and only share their locations with clients. On top of that, they move frequently, making regular police checks even harder.
Safety concerns and lack of control
The report raises concerns about safety for sex workers in private apartments. One anonymous sex worker shared that some women are forced to stay in apartments where they cannot leave freely. This raises fears of exploitation and control by others.
Some workers like the independence of working from home, but there are risks. Groups that support sex workers warn that without security measures like emergency buttons or staff support, women working alone may face more danger.
A brothel owner interviewed in the report says that brothels provide a safer work environment, offering security, health check-ups, and legal protections. Lucerne police say they are working on balancing personal freedom with the need to ensure safety and law enforcement.
Similar situation in Vienna
Vienna is facing the same issue, with many sex workers moving to private apartments. The problem grew during the COVID-19 pandemic when legal brothels were forced to close. Many sex workers continued working illegally from private homes.
Even after lockdowns ended and brothels reopened, some could not recover. Many workers never returned to legal brothels and instead chose to stay in apartments. Some prefer the independence, some make more money, and some are forced by others to work this way.
This shift has caused problems for legal brothels, which now have fewer workers and must compete with illegal services. Illegal prostitution avoids taxes and other fees, allowing lower prices that attract more customers. As a result, legal brothels are struggling to recover after the pandemic.
Read our news about how a brothel owner demonstrated agains illegal prostitution:
Police actions in Vienna and 2023 data
Eight months ago, we reported on police efforts to fight illegal prostitution in Vienna in 2023. Key findings from that report include:
- The Vienna Police carried out 82 inspections in the red-light district, about one every four days.
- They checked 217 private residences, leading to 614 violations of the Vienna Prostitution Act.
- In early 2024, authorities conducted 12 major raids, shutting down five illegal apartments that were regularly used for prostitution.
Fines for illegal sex work in Vienna include:
- €200 for not registering as a sex worker
- €400 for not having a required health check
- €400 for working from an unlicensed apartment
Vienna police say that apartment-based sex work is still hard to regulate, especially since COVID-19 changed the way many sex workers operate.
Ongoing challenges
Law enforcement in Lucerne and Vienna continues to monitor the rise in private apartment prostitution. Authorities in both cities say they need more resources to regulate the industry effectively. With sex workers using digital platforms to advertise and frequently changing locations, enforcing the law remains a difficult task.