40 years restricted area: lifesaver for sex workers in St. Georg!

40 years restricted area: lifesaver for sex workers in St. Georg!

Ceremonial mood in St. Georg: The advice center "restricted area" is 40 years old. This institution is part of the Diakonie Hamburg and has established itself as an indispensable contact point for sex workers. Around 1,000 women come here every year to take advantage of support and advice. Since its opening in 1985, the facility has been taking care of the interests of sexually working women, who often have to deal with challenges such as homelessness, addiction problems or little money. Some older women prefer work in prostitution to improve their pension. NDR reports .

The "restricted area" welcomes every woman, regardless of whether she works on the street, in a brothel or online. The clients are diverse: from 18 to their late 1970s. Due to the low -threshold and accepting work of the social specialists, women can openly address their concerns without fear of convicts. Work is anonymized here, so that the name does not necessarily have to be named. There are support for problems with the job center, health questions, debts and even looking for an apartment. The website of the blocking area also lists topics such as pregnancy, safe, violence, alcohol and drug problems.

The challenge of exit

The exit from prostitution represents an immense hurdle for many women. Often they do not have their own apartment during their work and are part of a milieus that gives them a certain support. But with the exit, the loss of this living option is often associated, which makes the Situation even more complicated. Many women are not entitled to government transitional benefits, which also makes access to a stable life situation difficult. Professional advice such as those that offers fim is of great importance. Here women can learn how to master their new everyday life and rebuild social networks.

The advice center not only offers support in finding new apartment and work, but also intensive coaching for everyday challenges. A peer group workshop takes place once a week, where women can exchange experiences in a protected atmosphere and ask questions about life design. In addition, the program includes creative activities such as painting and music to master stress and develop new perspectives.

look into the future

The advice center in St. Georg is operated by ten permanent social workers who are together for the needs of their clients. A central point remains the support for women who strive for the exit from prostitution. Legal advice and free medical consultation hours complement the offer, which is largely financed by donations. Rumors state that the advice center in St. Pauli will soon move to Lange Strasse, which could bring further changes.

The celebrations for the 40th anniversary are an occasion to keep back and take a look at the coming years. It remains to be hoped that the "restricted area" will remain a safe port for women who are looking for support.