A regional court has struck down a ban on the operation of brothels in one of Germany’s states, arguing that the improving Covid-19 situation allows for sex workers to return to work.
The High Administrative Court of Baden-Wurttemberg ruled that brothels can once again open their doors on Monday following a request filed by a brothel operator from the Karlsruhe region.
The country’s sex workers’ union, the Professional Association of Erotic and Sexual Service Providers (BesD), welcomed the decision. “The fact that lawsuits always have to be filed in the first place is a tragedy and shows how little our industry is viewed objectively,” the group wrote on Twitter. Sex workers held several protests during Germany’s lockdowns, demanding that they be allowed to return to work.