Prostitution zone street signs have to be seen to be believed
New street signs showing a busty woman posing beside a lamp post are being painted on the pavements of Basel, Switzerland, to show prostitutes where they can legally ply their trade.
The signs are aimed at keeping sex workers inside the ‘tolerance zone’ in the city’s Kleinbasel district.
There are around 800 prostitutes in Basel, with most working in bars and massage parlours.
But about 50 work outdoors in the area designated as legal for street soliciting.
Basel’s security and justice department said in a statement: “There is a high turnover of street workers in that part of the city.
Justice and Security Department, Basel
“But many are from Eastern Europe, which can make it difficult to convey the rules they must obey.
“So we hope these signs will make it very clear where they can and can not tout for business.”
In nearby Zurich, the city has spent 1.5 million pounds on drive-in ‘sex garages’ where prostitutes can take clients who pick them up in their cars.
Prostitution is legal in Switzerland, but only in zones or premises strictly defined by the authorities.
Councils also provide social and health care services for working girls in a bid to control and manage the sex trade.
When the Swiss city of Basel tried to clamp down on street prostitutes three years ago, hookers took to wearing roller skates to escape from police.
A police spokesman said at the time: “They can escape at high speed down narrow streets, making them impossible to chase either on foot or in a car.
“We had to increase the number of motorcycle police in the red light area to tackle the issue.”
Prostitution zone street signs have to be seen to be believed
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