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Hamburg's oldest brothel closing
I wonder what it actually means when brothels close because "business is falling." Does it mean that German men are getting way too civilized and sophisticated to frequent brothels? Doubtful.
Yet, Hamburg's oldest brothel, Luxor, a family-run operation in the heart of Germany's premier red light district, is closing its doors, IHT reports.. Business, apparently isn't what it used to be. They used to have 10 girls, now they only have 4. No word on whether they are all family members.
They are probably getting pushed out by bigger and cheaper competition, some multi-national brothel operation. What a shame. Do you have no sense of tradition and old-school values, people?
Where is Eliot when they need him?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
eugene Mar 22nd 2008 10:30AM
While I'm sure it's far easier to take the shits and giggles approach to news like this, there IS a real underlying concern. There's a growing problem of young women from economically impovrished regions/nations being sold into the sex slave industry.
While I'm sure it's easier and funnier to make the obvious Spitzer joke, not all prostitutes are out of their own free will and not all johns are generous and magnanimous benefactors. These girls are brought to foreign countries and forced to "work off" their debts, have their passports taken (if they even have one) and are held in seclusion. One recent bust in San Francisco reportedly had women who had no idea where in the city they were even working.
When legitimate establishments like this close down due to financial pressure, you can be sure there are illegal brothels, "massage parlours" and the like springing up and unfortunately, these undocumented women have no representation and no legal protection.
It's a shame that our cultural views on prostitution have so clouded this issue and that so many people don't understand what is really happening in this underground economy.