The Frankfurt-based association Doña Carmen e.V., a representative body for sex workers, published an inventory at the beginning of November on the implementation of the German Prostitutes’ Protection Act (ProstSchG) in Frankfurt am Main. The local portal Frankfurter Info reported on this on November 9, 2026.
Core of the survey: When the law came into force in July 2017, there were 168 registered prostitution businesses in the Frankfurt city area; currently there are 35 – a decline of around 80 percent. The association speaks of a «clearance» and attributes this to the requirement for businesses to obtain permits and the city’s closure practices. The work has not disappeared, but has instead shifted to private apartments, hotels, vacation rentals, and hostels. In an open letter to the city council, the association calls for a critical review of the law’s implementation, no further closures of businesses, and explicit recognition of freedom of occupation under Article 12 of the Basic Law for sex work as well.
Context: The figures come from an organization that fundamentally opposes the ProstSchG and are not officially confirmed – the city has not provided a statement in the report. However, the mechanism described is exactly what is also being debated in Switzerland: when licensed workplaces disappear, no less work is created – instead it shifts to settings without infrastructure. No colleagues in the building, no emergency call button on the wall, changing addresses – and far harder to reach for counseling services, health services, and inspections. This is relevant for us because several cantons have expanded licensing and registration requirements in recent years, and municipalities are also exercising control through building and zoning law. The decisive question is not whether regulation yes or no, but whether a regulation ultimately creates accessible, legal workplaces – or merely causes displacement.
What is the situation in your regions: are there still enough legal, licensed workplaces, or do people facto shift to private apartments and hotels?