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In Germany, the debate about banning the purchase of sex has been heating up again. A sex worker named Eva, who works in a brothel in Münster called Wunschfabrik, shared her opinion in an interview with Evangelisch.de. She has been in the profession for several years and says a ban would only make life more dangerous for people like her. “A ban would just push more sex workers into illegality,” Eva explained.
Many in Germany’s sex work community agree with her, as do organizations like the Diakonie. Elke Ronneberger from Diakonie stated clearly: “We reject the so-called Nordic Model. It worsens the situation for sex workers, increases the risk of violence and disease, and makes it harder to get help and healthcare.”
Germany’s Legal Approach vs. the Nordic Model
The Nordic Model, first introduced in Sweden in 1999, makes buying sex illegal but allows selling it. That means sex workers are not punished, but their clients and brothel owners are. Germany has chosen a different path: prostitution is legal and regulated.
Since 2017, the Prostitutes Protection Act has defined clear rules. Sex workers must register with local authorities, condom use is mandatory, and regular health checks are required.
Brothels must also pass inspections. Forced prostitution and human trafficking, however, remain serious crimes.
Bea, whose husband owns the brothel where Eva works, says authorities check them regularly.
She strongly opposes a sex purchase ban: “It would only hurt the state itself. Our businesses pay millions in taxes.”
She admits there are unlicensed private apartments where illegal prostitution happens, but she stresses that everyone working in their brothel is registered and follows the law.
Alliance for Legal Prostitution
To defend their right to work legally, brothel owners and sex clubs have formed the Alliance for Legal Prostitution. The group recently released a collection of essays by researchers, lawyers, and historians called A Sex Purchase Ban Is Against All Reason.
Stephanie Klee, chair of the Federal Association of Sexual Services, said their goal is to build a strong knowledge base for understanding sex work as part of society and the economy. The alliance also aims to fight the growing political pressure for the Nordic Model in Germany and to draw attention to the economic challenges faced by legal brothels and sex workers.
Government Research Shows Mixed Results
Recently, the German government asked the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony to evaluate the country’s prostitution laws. The study involved sex workers from many different environments, from brothels to street work.
According to research director Tillmann Bartsch, the law has “both strengths and weaknesses.” Registration is mostly working well, but identifying victims of human trafficking has proven difficult due to insufficient training for officials.
Although the study did not directly compare Germany’s system with others like those in the Netherlands or New Zealand, Bartsch said, “Many of the measures have proven useful, and what doesn’t work yet can often be improved.”
The researchers concluded that Germany has no reason to abandon its current approach.
Why the Nordic Model Fails Sex Workers
Critics say the Nordic Model, which criminalizes buyers but not sellers, does more harm than good. Here’s why:
- It pushes sex work underground. When clients fear arrest, they avoid legal venues and prefer hidden, unsafe locations. This exposes sex workers to more violence and makes it harder to report crimes.
- It destroys financial stability. In countries like Austria, legal sex workers have stable income and access to healthcare. The Nordic Model scares off clients and drives many women into poverty or unsafe work.
- It doesn’t stop human trafficking. Trafficking is caused by poverty and global inequality, not legal sex work. Criminalizing buyers only makes it harder to detect real victims.
- It increases stigma. By treating all sex workers as victims and all clients as criminals, the model removes personal choice and deepens social exclusion.
- It harms health and safety. Without legal protection, sex workers lose access to medical services and safe workplaces. Fear of being exposed keeps them away from doctors and the police.
- It destroys trust in law enforcement. If clients risk legal trouble, many sex workers avoid reporting crimes, leaving them vulnerable to abuse.
- It affects mental health. Constant fear of raids and judgment causes stress, anxiety, and depression. Regulated systems like Austria’s provide security and predictability.
- It reverses progress. Countries like Germany and Austria have built frameworks that protect workers and fight exploitation. Adopting the Nordic Model would undo these achievements.
Read our article in the topic:
The Bigger Picture
Supporters of the Nordic Model often claim it helps victims of exploitation.
But as many sex workers argue, it does the opposite—it isolates them and removes their safety nets.
Legal, regulated systems create transparency and protect those in the industry, while criminalization forces them into the shadows.
The evidence is clear: banning the purchase of sex does not end prostitution—it only makes it more dangerous.
For now, Germany remains committed to regulation over prohibition. As the government reviews its laws, the voices of sex workers like Eva remind the public that safety, dignity, and choice matter far more than moral judgment.