FEED THE METER, WORK THE TRACK

sex-meter-sex worker

Germany has always led the way in innovation for all matters concerning sex work. A new example of their industry prowess comes to us by way of a parking meter. Not the old fashion ones that take nickels, dimes or quarters. This new love machine looks more like a big mailbox with a spotlight in the middle. You might have seen a look-a-like at your local DMV office in the parking lot. The city of Bonn in Berlin, Germany charges 6 euros which is about $6.65 US to work the track on any given night. For less than ten dollars, sex workers can enjoy getting their money smiling.

Sex workers happily hawk their wares in the Immenburgstrasse section completely outfitted with wooden garages to park dates hassle-free of police activity. Prostitution is already legal in Germany and a spokeswoman for the city, Monika Frömbgen, stated the reason for the new hooker meters was purely for fairness- “tax fairness”.  She went on to state that sex workers in bordellos (brothels) and sauna clubs (or massage parlors) pay taxes and street prostitution shouldn’t be exempt. Personally I have no problem with them enforcing taxes on street walkers as long as they enhance the experience for client and customer alike.

The city of Bonn has 200 sex workers but only 20 who work the track. The government spends $116,000 a year on private security to guard the area where the sex work takes place. America can learn a lot from Germany in regards to regulating prostitution. Too much time and money has been spent on arresting sex workers instead of finding solutions to mandate the problem. Sex workers caught without a receipt will be fined up to $145. No matter how you look at it, it still beats getting arrested.

Advocates for sex workers in Germany say the tax is biased because sex workers already pay income tax. I say the meter is a small tax to pay in order to have the right to work in or outside. Sex workers need secure environments to ply their trade. Know-It-All’s advice- feed the meter and get your money smiling.

 

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