Mai Mercado, conservative minister of social affairs: A little background on prostitution in Denmark:
Mai Mercado, conservative minister of social affairs:
“I feel poorly that this is an area where basic rights don’t exist. Society demands that everyone pays their taxes, including prostitution, so I think that we are duty-bound to ensure people have basic rights. We also need to be able to help people who want to make a job change,” said Mercado.
Prostitution has been legal in Denmark since 1999. Prostitutes are required to register as business owners with the tax authorities as their income is taxable.
However, prostitution is very sparsely regulated and sex workers don’t enjoy the same rights as other vocations, including the right to unemployment insurance payouts (dagpenge) or pensions.
A little background on prostitution in Denmark:
Over-18s have since 1999 been legally allowed to buy and sell sex in Denmark, although the actual industry of prostitution is considered illegal.
Prostitutes work in a legal grey area: they have to pay taxes but aren’t covered by Danish labour laws, including provisions on retirement, working conditions and unemployment.
The law of 1999 means individuals can legally work as prostitutes, but pimping and brothels are illegal. The law aims to prevent the exploitation of women who are forced into the business.
It is illegal to create or promote contact between a prostitute and a customer and to rent out a hotel room if you know that it is meant for prostitution
Mai Mercado, conservative minister of social affairs:
A little background on prostitution in Denmark: