Skip to main content

SEX DRIVE IN OPENS IN ZURICH

Switzerland's first sex drive-in will open in Zurich today, aimed at creating a safer space for sex workers and taking prostitution off the city's streets. The drive-in, in a former industrial zone in the west of the city, has a track where the sex workers can show off their assets and negotiate a price, and nine so-called "sex boxes" where they and their clients can park and conclude the transaction. When it opens at 7:00 PM (1700 GMT) today, the downtown street of Sihlquai, where barely-dressed street-walkers have long openly and sometimes aggressively plied their trade to the dismay of residents and businesses, will become off-limits to prostitution. The drive-in is designed to be safer, with security guards on hand to ensure there is only one man in each car that enters as well alarm buttons in each "sex box" and on-site doctors and social workers. However, some prostitutes have voiced concern that the strictly controlled environment of the drive-in would scare off their customers, and Zurich police said it remained unclear whether they and their clients would agree to the move. "That is the big question. We have no idea how many women will show up," police spokesman Mario Cortesi told AFP. The new sex drive-in was approved by 52.6 percent of Zurich voters in a March 2012 referendum. Michael Herzig, director of social services for sex workers in the city, insisted that since the city could not ban prostitution altogether, "we want to control it in favour of the sex workers and the population." "Because if we do not control it, organised crime is taking over, and the pimps are taking over," he told AFP. Cortesi said around 100 women had recently been working Sihlquai, adding that if the prostitutes do not want to go to the new drive-in there are two other sites in Zurich where they can legally work. He said some 1,200 women -- mainly from Eastern Europe -- registered as sex workers last year in Switzerland's largest city. But since only newcomers to the trade are listed and many likely work illegally, the true number of prostitutes in the city remains unclear. The "sex boxes" have been built to make it easy for the passenger but difficult for the driver to get out of the car, said Ursula Kocher, head of the Flora Dora support network for prostitutes which will help operate the new drive-in. Kocher stressed the dangers of street prostitution, pointing out that clients can drive anywhere with the prostitutes, who have no protection if the situation turns violent.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WORLD'S OLDEST WOMAN

Misao Okawa celebrates her 115th birthday in Osaka, western Japan on March 5, 2013. Okawa was formally recognized as the world's oldest woman.
Post a Comment
Read more

SINGER MANNA DEY IS NO MORE

Legendary playback singer Manna Dey, who mesmerised generations of listeners with his inimitable voice for over five decades with hits like 'ay mere pyara watan', 'laaga chunri me daag' and 'poocho na kaise', died at a hospital here today at the age of 94 after prolonged illness. Dey, who was in and out of Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital in the last five months for respiratory and renal problems, died of cardiac arrest with his daughter Shumita Deb and son-in-law Jnanranjan Deb by his bedside when the end came at 3.50 AM. The condition of Dey, who had made Bangalore his home for the last many years, deteriorated since yesterday afternoon, hospital spokesman Vasuki said. With the demise of Dey, the void has become complete in the famous quartet of singers Rafi, Mukesh, and Kishore Kumar, who dominated the Hindi music industry from 1950s to 1970s. The mortal remains of Dey, whose unique voice lent a rare dimension to his persona, were cremate...
Post a Comment
Read more

WILL NIFTY FALL BELOW 2000?

Correlating the ups and down in the Indian rupee with the stock market, Vijay Bhambwani, CEO, bsplindia.com, suggests that if the rupee continues with its downward fall, the Indian stock market may fall breach October lows and fall further. “If the rupee falls below the 53.0-53.50 mark vis-a-vis the USD, expect a mini meltdown atleast in the equity markets. In that case, the 2250 level (on Nifty) will be breached easily to form a new low. The possibility of that low being below the 2000 levels on the Nifty spot is fairly high,” he says. Bhambwani supports his outlook by comparing the value of rupee at the time of October lows. “The October 2008 lows were made with the INR at 51.20 - 51.40 band. The rupee has breached the 52 level since then. Clearly the nation’s ‘share price’ (currency) indicates weakness. The curency market is a far more accurate barometer of the nation’s health compared to the equity indices. Whether you like it or not, we are under siege. Had it not been March (NAV ...
Post a Comment
Read more