Forced prostitution

The image of the free and self-determined sex worker is widely spread in Germany; however, it applies to only a minimal number of individuals. The majority of women in the red-light milieu work under coercive conditions and are sexually exploited.

There is no single type of forced prostitution. Instead, there are various reasons and forms of exploitation that trap people, especially children and women, in exploitative prostitution.

Legal Definition of Forced Prostitution

Human trafficking is a criminal offense in Germany. Forced prostitution as a form of human trafficking is regulated in § 232a of the German Criminal Code (StGB). Legally, forced prostitution is supplemented by “exploitation of prostitutes” and “pimping”.

According to § 232a StGB, forced prostitution is defined as follows: Forced prostitution occurs when a person induces another person, exploiting their personal or economic vulnerability or their helplessness associated with being in a foreign country, or if the other person is under the age of twenty-one,

• to engage in prostitution or continue to do so, or
• to perform sexual acts through which they are exploited, in the presence of or in front of the perpetrator or a third person, or to have such acts performed on themselves by the perpetrator or a third person.

This means that the offense of forced prostitution requires at least two individuals: a victim and a person who exploits the victim’s situation. Additionally, it requires either helplessness, personal or economic vulnerability, or being under the age of twenty-one.

Why do women fall into forced prostitution?

The reasons leading to exploitation in prostitution are as diverse as the countries of origin of the victims. Depending on whether a victim comes from Germany or abroad, their vulnerabilities can vary greatly.

Economic hardship, recruitment through false promises or fake relationships, childhood sexual violence, sexual exploitation in child prostitution or pornography, and being sold by their own families to pimps are reasons why women can fall into forced prostitution.

Read more here about the reasons why women fall into forced prostitution: Why Do Women Fall into Forced Prostitution?

What Methods Do Pimps Use to Exploit Women in Forced Prostitution? Young girls in Germany are often forced into prostitution through the loverboy method. The loverboy method involves creating a fake romantic relationship to emotionally manipulate the victim into prostitution and then exploit them through deception and manipulation.

On the other hand, young women from Eastern Europe or Africa often see no prospects in their home countries. Human traffickers take advantage of this and lure them to Western Europe with false promises. Some are promised careers as models, others jobs in the hospitality industry or other sectors. Still, others believe they can work independently as prostitutes in Western Europe and earn a lot of money. During the journey, their passports are taken away, they are threatened, beaten, and raped.

Upon arrival in the destination country, they are forced to work in brothels, apartments, or on the streets against their will and are repeatedly sold like goods. They are told that they now owe high travel costs. Constant changes of location make it impossible to build stable relationships. The women are uprooted and helpless, often unable to communicate effectively. They no longer have documents and are thus illegal in the country. Out of fear of deportation, they often do not dare to turn to the police. Pimps threaten them and their families massively.

Read more about the methods used by pimps here: Forced Prostitution – Methods Used by Pimps

The Consequences of Forced Prostitution

The psychological and physical consequences of constant rape and violence, even torture, are immense. Many of the women, girls, and boys are severely traumatized.

Read more on this topic here: Prostitution and Its Consequences

One of the biggest challenges in combating forced prostitution is the victims’ reluctance to report it due to intense intimidation. Therefore, it is necessary to support and stabilize them so they can provide clear witness statements.