New prostitution law to increase minimum age to 21

Next week the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, will vote on amendments to the prostitution that will increase the minimum age for a prostitute to 21 years. According to RTL Nieuws, the Kamer is expected to agree to the changes to the law, officially called the Act to regulate prostitution and combat abuses in the sex industry. The changes have been tinkered with for years. During a debate about the changes to the law on Thursday, Minister Ard van der Steur of Security and Justice stated that should the law take effect, prostitutes under the age of 21 years don't have to stop working immediately. The law will take effect six months from now at the earliest, and then there will be a transition year. Young prostitutes therefore have at least 18 months to find a solution for the loss of their income. After the law takes effect, prostitutes under the age of 21 who still practice their profession will not be punished - Van der Steur does not want to put anything in the way of a young woman seeking for help. But brothel operators and clients who make use of underage prostitutes will face a prison sentence of up to a year.