CoVid’19 & The Dark Reality of Sex Tourism In Europe
What is Europe famous for? I know the views, beaches, canals, landmarks, food and blah blah blah. But I also know that sex tourism is one of the major reasons partying around Europe is considered as fun. This is the reason that it has become an entire industry in some countries across the continent. People especially visit these places to get a glimpse of what the entire paid sex life is around there. However, with the Corona Virus hitting Europe to the fullest, a big question has arisen:
What will happen of the sex workers and all those associated with the notorious, ever-blooming, and the hush hushed thriving sex industry of Europe?
The Sex Tourism In Amsterdam, Czech Republic And Beyond. . .
It is no brainer that Amsterdam and the Czech Republic are the two notoriously famous places, which are also considered a hub of sex tourism, in Europe. Why do people generally visit the Netherlands and Amsterdam in particular? It is because prostitution is legal. Hence, the brothels and the Red-Light District in the city are extremely famous among international tourists. The tourists pay a hefty amount to the operators and sex workers to visit these sex theaters. As per an old study, more than 25,000 individuals are directly linked with prostitution (expect it to be double the amount in 2020) in Amsterdam with around the same figure indirectly linked – operating the brothels.
There is a stark contrast to the same situation in the Czech Republic where prostitution is not so advanced. Even though prostitution is legal, but organized brothels and operations are prohibited. Therefore, without the organized operations, it is considered as one of the cheapest places. Unfortunately, the sex workers here do not have the same repute as those in Amsterdam or the other famous parts of Europe. What you pay here to the workers is not even a quarter of what you pay to the proper brothels in Amsterdam and beyond.
The Fate of Sex Workers Amidst CoVid Crisis
This is the most daunting question one can ask at the moment. The governments around Europe have announced various relief packages for numerous industries operating. However, there has been no claim as of yet that can help the sex workers and the legal prostitution rings running in the countries. Obviously, with the lockdowns and all the other precautionary measures at the place, once cannot expect them to be operating at this time.
But what’s more alarming is what will happen to these workers and sex tourism in the future? Even when the lockdowns will ease and the borders will reopen, the tourism isn’t expected to go back to what it was in years to come. Moreover, with social distancing still being in place till next year at least, you cannot expect people to frequently visit these brothels.
With no legal aid at hand and no such thing to be predicted in the future as well, the thousands of people who were earning their livelihood through this industry will be rendered helpless. To the governments who earn a major part of their tourism economy from these sex industries, it seems like a matter of utter shamelessness and shock that no relief package has been announced for these workers as of yet.
We are only waiting to see what will become of these industries if the governments across Amsterdam, Czech Republic, and other countries in Europe do not take staunch relief actions.