A property in Winterthur that had previously caused controversy over private sex parties and alleged prostitution has resurfaced, according to 20 Minuten (August 5, 2026) – this time because discrete services were being advertised in an escort chat. The property owner’s representative expressed surprise: after the earlier incidents, they had replaced the management and tenancy and taken over the house themselves. Around eight apartments continue to be offered for short-term rental via a rental platform. Guest data would be recorded and reported to authorities, but without concrete suspicion, one cannot simply enter a rented apartment.
The individual case is less interesting than the pattern behind it. For years, sex work has been shifting away from salons and streets toward private apartments and vacation rentals. According to estimates, roughly half of sex workers now operate in such private settings. For many, this means more discretion and more control over their own work – a legitimate desire. At the same time, this shift has a downside: those who work alone and invisibly are harder to reach for counseling services, health services, and in emergencies, also for the police. Add to that a legal gray area. Short-term rental platforms explicitly prohibit paid sexual services in their terms of use, and depending on the canton and permit situation, private sex work can further complicate residency or employment status.
In short: the shift to private settings is not a scandal, but a real development – with genuine benefits for autonomy and genuine risks regarding safety and access to help. This is exactly what’s worth discussing, rather than specific addresses.
How do you experience working in private apartments or vacation rentals – more freedom or ultimately more risk and isolation?