mightgotoholland

I've seen it in the movies, read aboutit and have heard stories from thaose that have been there. <BR>Now that I am almost (90%) sure of going to Holland, can somebody provide information about the Red Light District. I am refering to the ladies-on-display in a famous street in Amsterdam. I need to know if it is really legal, and if so, how much and for how long. Please, serious responses only. <BR>Thank you.

beentoholland

If you have questions about sex or drugs go to the Amsterdam forum at www.channels.nl/ and maybe someone there will tell you more than you should know!

surfer

Believe me, I came across this site by surfer: http://www.worldsexarchives.com/worl...ide/index.html <BR> <BR>Look up Amsterdam for descriptions. <BR> <BR> <BR>On a much darker note: This site also describes the horrible child sex slavery which is going on right now in Asia and many other parts of the world. I am O.K. with the Dutch tolerance of adult prostition but find it very sad that Amsterdam is one of the biggest distributors of child pornograhy. <BR>

mightgotoholland

Surfer, <BR>Thank you for your response. However, you pointed me to another website and that website seems to cater to perversity. I am not a pervert. I'm just another normal message poster (like everybody in this board) looking to satisfy my curiosity through traveling. <BR>Hence, any more tips/information on the Red Light District would be appreciated - topping.

Marc David Miller

When contemplating the humor and voyeristic stimulation of walking around such areas, think of this article below: <BR> <BR>http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/12/in...searchpv=day06 <BR> <BR>(the article will only be available for another few days). <BR> <BR>

Jim Rosenberg

I echo surfer's sentiments about a very serious matter. The fun & games part needs to be balanced against the reality of what is sometimes going on. This is not simply a matter of being a prude or not.

Sjoerd

There are Red Light districts all over the Netherlands and not only in Amsterdam. There is one in Utrecht on boats, and others in The Hague, Rotterdam, Groningen and other cities. Amsterdam has three different district: the big one behind the Krasnapolsky hotel (very touristy) and two smaller ones. <BR>Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands and the girls (and boys) pay taxes, have a union, and can start their own business. <BR>There is a good story about the main Amsterdam Red Light district on www.boomchicago.nl <BR>To surfer: I am not aware that Amsterdam is one of the biggest distributors of child pornography". I am sure police are doing everything they can to stop this horrible business. By the way, the legal age for sex in NL is 16 years.

Sjoerd

Try this link: <BR>http://www.boomchicago.nl/Section/Bo...tyAmsterdamSex

Sue

Marc David Miller- <BR> <BR>Thank you for posting the link to this well-researched article. I found the piece so thought-provoking that I've copied it for my own personal files. <BR> <BR>It provides some evidence in favour of something I've long suspected - that the problems of this industry are enormously complex, and legalization is not a magic wand that will wave these problems away. <BR> <BR>

Capo

Legalization, or decriminalization, of any vice isn't a magic wand that will wave all problems away. <BR> <BR>Take alcohol. It's legal. Does that mean there aren't any problems with it? Hardly. But America tried Prohibition and guess what? It caused even MORE problems. <BR> <BR>That, IMO, is similar to prostitution. Like drinking alcohol, this is a "vice" that is never going to go away. Is it better to try to repress it by making it illegal, as we do in the U.S., or is it better to acknowledge that it exists and legalize it, like the Netherlands has done, while not turning a blind eye to abuses? <BR> <BR>Are we helping women, or harming women, by making prositution illegal? Back when it was legal in the U.S., for example, women often worked in brothels which were often run by other women. Now that it's illegal, many women are forced out onto the street where they have to seek the "protection" of pimps and the like. As a Dutch cop said in a special I saw on prostitution: "Over here we protect the women; in your country [the U.S.] you harrass and arrest them."

the turnip

While in the Netherlands we saw several red light districts. Even small towns have them. The ladies on display were always clothed and it wasn't much of a thrill. My favorite was the girl who was doing her laundry and ironing while still open for business... You can see more revealing attire in a Victoria's Secret catalog. As far as prices etc. I can't help you out there. <BR> <BR> Please be aware that AIDS and the HIV rates can be as high as 40% among these workers. Condoms are not 100% effective either. Why not bring home something safer like snapshots as opposed to a STD that ruin and/or take your life.

Sue

Capo, it is possible that neither criminalization nor legalization is going to work, because many of the related problems fall outside the scope of what can be affected by governments. This was what I took away from the article - that government interference of any kind may not be all that effective. <BR> <BR>It seems that for me to express even the mildest of skepticism about a particular government policy is going to have me branded as a Fanatical Oppressor of The People. Hmmmn, bit of an irony there I think.

the mad cow

As no one else has answered your questions I will. THe area is call Wallen (walls) and is near the Central station. There are bout a dozen streeets with girls on display in glass fronted cabins, which also double as "the room" (don't worry they pull the curtains!). This is also where the sex shops, shows etc are <BR> <BR>Price wise 50 guilders gets you about 20 minutes with all the usual attractions.

John Bermont

<BR>Prostitution as a business has been going on since before anyone knows. Charlemagne outlawed it in 801 AD, the first year of his reign as Holy Roman Emperor. <BR> <BR>The rational and business minded Dutch have legalized it so the ladies are not criminals. The Amsterdam red light district is a touristy window shoppers area and the business flourishes in other parts of the country, as has been pointed out above. Around the corner from my apartment in Haarlem I would normally pass several of the "windows" when coming home from shopping. <BR> <BR>The ladies are subject to medical exams on a regular basis in order to keep their business licenses; however, an old acquaintenance of mine believes that his case of AIDS came from a visit. <BR> <BR>There may be an unsavory underside to this business. You'll notice that most of the ladies are not native Dutch. They probably did not pay for their plane fare to Holland and now they have no other way of supporting themselves. <BR> <BR>After his 20 minutes, "mightgotoholland" can certainly find more interesting and entertaining things to do. <BR> <BR>These are just a few facts and observations on the world's most tenacious profession. I don't condone it or condemn it. That's just the way it is -- and probably the way it will stay in Holland. <BR> <BR>John <BR> <BR>