Life after violence and exploitation - The dark side of sex work | DW Documentary

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In 2002, a law was passed in Germany to legalize sex work as a service. Vivien worked as an escort and dominatrix for four years. Christina was forced into sex work by her drug-addicted mother.

The change in the law regarding sex work presupposes that people offer sexual services voluntarily and that they are of legal age. However, the reality is often different.

Vivien and Christina talk about their lives as sex workers and how they got out. Vivien is now a social worker, supporting young girls. She was raised in a single-parent household and money was extremely tight. She also longed for male recognition. She was often sexually exploited and was even raped once. She ceased sex work in 2022 and is now involved with Sisters e. V., an organization that supports sex workers.

A shelter for women was Christina's salvation. She was forced to offer her body in brothels, brothels, and, often, on the streets. In the process, she experienced a lot of violence. Christina was able to escape in a cloak-and-dagger operation. But she had trouble adjusting, and her inner demons rose up inside her. She went back into the milieu - into a life she knew. After a year, she left for a second time - this time successfully. Today she lives with her young daughter in a shelter.

Since the new sex work law passed, there have been fewer investigations into human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. But many women are afraid to testify, says Helmut Sporer, a former senior criminal investigator in the field of sex work and human trafficking.

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