Amsterdam may halt prostitution in Red Light District
Mayor Femke Halsema of Amsterdam is currently exploring various options for a new prostitution policy in the Red Light District. One of the options she is considering is closing all the window brothels in the area, NU.nl reports.
According to the mayor, the situation in the center of Amsterdam increasingly "dire" due to the continuing suspicions of human trafficking and the growth of unlicensed prostitution. "It forces us to put the prostitution policy on the agenda again", she said in a letter to the city council on Wednesday.
Halsema included four possible scenarios for the future of prostitution in the Red Light District. One scenario involves closing all window brothels in the famous Amsterdam prostitution area. Another is moving prostitution related businesses to another location within the city. And another looks into increasing the number of workplaces for sex workers in the Red Light District.
Towards the end of this year, Halsema will present a more limited number of scenarios, including explanation on their financial and legal consequences. The city council will then discuss the options.